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S. R. HARSHMAN 



CHRIST IAN 
CITIZENSHIP 

AND OTHER SERMONS 



VV^-^Y 



BY 

s"r:^arshman 

Author of "Sermons on Familiar Subjects" 



EVANGELIST AND PASTOR OF 
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST 

SULLIVAN, ILLINOIS 



PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR 

M C M I I 






THE LIBRARY OF 

CONGRESS, 
"T^ur^ Cow?« Received 

MAY. t5 19D2 

CWVRIGHT EN1T?Y 

CLASS O-'XXcl No 
COPY B. 



Copyright, 1902, 

BY 

S. R. HARSH MAN 



MADE ar 

THE WERNER COMPANY 

AKRON, OHIO 



PREFACE 



x-TTHEN I published my forrd^r volume of sermons en- 
^^ titled ^^ Sermons on Familiar Subjects" I thought 
of doing more writing, but waited to see how my work 
should be received by the public. Being aware of the 
unpopularity of the gospel I preach, I did not expect any 
great demand for my published works. In this I have not 
been disappointed. However there has been sufficient 
interest manifested in what I have published to encourage 
me to further efforts. But this of itself would not afford 
sufficient motive for writing this book, though the want of 
it might prevent its publication. My principal reason for 
further encroaching upon the time and attention of the 
public is the persuasion that I have something to say that 
is worth saying, and that is worthy of the thoughtful con- 
sideration of intelligent men. I have paid some attention 
to style of composition, and have endeavored to avoid that 
extreme sententiousness which characterized some parts of 
the former volume. But while not neglecting euphony, I 
have endeavored not to sacrifice clearness and force. I 

(5) 



6 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

have made no efforts after elegance of diction, but have 

written plainly for plain people. 

The subjects treated in this volume are more out of the 

ordinary than those considered in the former volume. 

Yet they are of great interest and of practical utility. 

They are, however, seldom noticed by modern preachers. 

With these explanations the work is left to the judgment 

of the reading public. 

S. R. Harshman. 

Sullivan, Illinois, Jan. i8, 1902. 



CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 



Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, tor 
there is no power but of God: the powers that be are or- 
dained of God. — Rom. xiii : i. 

For our conversation is in heaven. — Phil, iii : 20. 

'TpHE relation of Christians to human govern- 
ments is a question of great interest and 
practical importance. Our conception of that re- 
lation depends mainly upon our views of the at- 
titude of human governments toward God and His 
government. If human governments are in har- 
mony with God's will, and if the great intention 
of Christianity is to bring them more and more 
into harmony with God's law, then certainly God's 
people should not only participate in those gov- 
ernments, but should dominate them. If, on the 
other hand, human governments as they now ex- 
ist, are in rebellion against God, and are destined 
to destruction before Christ can reign on the earth, 
then Christians can have no part in them without 
disloyalty to God. 

(7) 



8 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

That human governments as they now exist 
get their authority from God, or that they are in 
harmony with His will, would be difficult to prove. 
It is true that the Apostle Paul declares " The 
powers that be are ordained of God." But what 
is the force of this declaration? The word in the 
original Greek here translated ''ordained" is '' tet- 
agmenai,'' which in the marginal reading is trans- 
lated "ordered." The verb '' Tasso'' signifies 
primarily *'to set in order, to arrange." It is a 
military term, and refers to the placing of soldiers 
in ranks, etc. We learn from this language of the 
Apostle: ist. That God is the author of civil gov- 
ernment. 2d. That He arranges the governments 
of this world, has supervision over them, and they 
exist by His permission ; so that to rebel against 
the existing order of things is to resist the order 
of God. Whatever government the Christian is 
placed under is the will of God to him ; and he 
is not to resist that power under pain of condem- 
nation. No government can be so oppressive as 
to justify the Christian in engaging in an insurrec- 
tion or a rebellion against its authority. The gov- 
ernment of the Roman Empire at the time this 
epistle was written to the Romans was probably 
as corrupt and oppressive as was ever known, yet 



AND OTHER SERMONS 9 

God's people were commanded to be in obe- 
dience to it. But while this is true, it is not to be 
inferred that God was the author of this pagan 
government, or that it was in harmony with His law 
or His will. It is represented in Revelations under 
the figure of a great red dragon, and as being de- 
sirous of devouring the man-child, the progeny of 
the woman clothed with the sun, no doubt repre- 
senting the Church of Christ. The man-child rep- 
resents a Christian civil government which came 
into being in the year 313 A.D., when Constantine 
confessed conversion to Christianity, and dis- 
placed paganism with the new religion. This man- 
child was born in due time, having been conceived 
at Pentecost, and was born two hundred and eighty 
years afterward (313-33=280). This man-child, 
it is declared, is to rule all nations with a rod of 
iron. This will be fulfilled after the second com- 
ing of the Lord, as is promised in Rev. ii : 26, 27, 
'* And he that overcometh and keepeth my works 
unto the end, to him will I give power over the 
nations ; and he shall rule them with a rod of 
iron." This pagan Roman government then, which 
was in opposition to Christ's kingdom, could not 
have been in harmony with God's government, 
or have been authorized by Him. And if this 



lo CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

government was not of God to which the Apostle 
particularly refers, we have no authority to make 
the claim for any human government now existing, 
so far as that claim must rest upon the language 
of the Scripture under consideration, viz., Rom. 
xiii : I, 2. 

This Roman government, which St. Paul de- 
clares was ordained of God, was not only pagan, 
but it was a persecuting power. By its authority 
our Lord was crucified, Stephen was stoned, Paul 
was beheaded, John cast into the boiling oil, and 
tens of thousands were martyred. They were 
tortured, cast to the wild beasts in the arenas, 
burned at the stake, starved in dungeons, racked 
and torn. Great numbers of Christians apostatized, 
being compelled, on pain of death, to abjure their 
rehgion and offer sacrifice to the false gods of 
Rome. Is it possible that such a savage, murder- 
ous power was of God and acted as his vice- 
regent? Certainly God would then have been 
divided against Himself, and how then could His 
kingdom stand? The supposition is preposterous 
and absurd. There are some governments of the 
present day which claim Divine authority, but this 
is not true of the government of the United 
States. The American people repudiate the doc- 



AND OTHER SERMONS li 

trine of the Divine right of kings or other rulers, 
and affirm in their Declaration of Independence, 
that governments derive their just powers from the 
consent of the governed. This government is 
founded upon the right of the majority; not a 
Divine right, unless we accept that blasphemous 
doctrine, '' vox populi, vox Dei^' that when the 
majority speaks, God speaks, which would make 
God call for the death of His own beloved Son; 
since the majority of His countrymen called for 
His death. 

' As we fail to find support in the Scriptures for 
the claim that existing human governments have 
Divine authority, or that they are in harmony with 
the Divine will, I will undertake to show, on the 
contrary, that these governments are in rebellion 
against God, and are a practical denial of His 
rights. As was said a while ago, God is the Au- 
thor of civil government among men. In that 
sense "There is no power but of God." He is a 
God of order. Order is said to be Heaven's first 
law. He turns chaos into kosmos. '* He spoke 
and it was done : He commanded and it stood 
fast." So when man was created and placed on 
the earth, for the preservation of order and peace, 
a form of civil government was given him, the 



12 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

only form of government which God ever author- 
ized. It is called Patriarchal. Under this form 
the father governed all his descendants. In other 
words it was family government, the most likely 
to prove just, merciful, and mild. It seems that 
even before the Deluge men discarded this form 
of government, since we read that the earth was 
filled with violence. But after the Deluge it was 
established again in the family of Noah. This 
kind of civil government gave little or no oppor- 
tunity for war or conquest. It curbed ambition 
and the love of power. It " Forbade to wade 
through slaughter to a throne, or shut the gates 
of mercy on mankind." Since each patriarch ruled 
his own descendants only, his subjects were com- 
paratively few and his authority limited. The 
government was in every sense paternal, and cal- 
culated to secure the greatest good to the governed. 
It could not be tyrannical or oppressive. Such is 
God's idea of what civil government should be. It 
is as far removed from man's ideal as can well be. 
Each subject was connected with the ruler by ties 
of blood and filial reverence. But this happy 
state of affairs could not long last. Man's lust for 
power could not long be circumscribed within such 
narrow boundaries. We are informed in Scripture 



AND OTHER SERMONS 13 

that a man arose who became a- " Mighty Hunter 
before the Lord " ; or, as Dr. Adam Clarke trans- 
lates the passage, "A mighty rebel against God." 
This man founded an empire, called the Chaldean 
or Babylonian, afterward merged into the Assyrian, 
empire.* So far as we can learn from history, 
sacred or profane, this was the first departure from 
the Divinely established civil government. We are 
told that the beginning of his kingdom was Babel 
or Babylon. Since Babylon was the capital of the 
first empire founded in rebellion against God's 
form of civil government, apostasy in religion is 
also called Babylon. So rebellion against God in 
government, either civil or ecclesiastical, has pro- 
duced confusion and disorder. I shall now show 
that the various governments of the earth, espe- 
cially those included in what is commonly called 
Christendom, are of the same nature, and intimately 
connected with the first great empire founded by 
Nimrod. But allow me first to digress to speak 
of the government of the Israelites, God's peculiar 
people. Some time after the rebellion of Nimrod, 
God called out of Chaldea a man called Abram, 
and directed him to migrate to a strange land 
which he should afterward be shown. Abram 

* See. Rawlinson's " Five Great Monarchies." 



14 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Started, but stopped on the way until the death of 
his father who had accompanied him thus far on his 
journey. He then resumed his travels and reached 
finally the distant land which God had promised to 
give to his descendants. Here he dwelt in tents with 
Isaac his son and Jacob his grandson, heirs with 
him of the same promise. They were still under 
the divinely appointed form of government. Their 
descendants, after long bondage in Egypt, were 
brought again into the land of Canaan, by Moses 
and Joshua. There they continued under the same 
form of government, led against their enemies by 
Judges, divinely appointed as the occasion required, 
until the time of Samuel the prophet. Then they 
rebelled, and asked for a king, that they might be 
like the nations round about them. When Sam- 
uel complained to the Lord about it, he was in- 
formed that they had rejected God's government 
in desiring a king. But God still overruled in the 
matter by choosing their king for them. But after 
the first few kings, God's authority was rejected even 
in this matter, and kings reigned without Divine ap- 
pointment, son succeeding father. Thus we see God's 
form of civil government was universally rejected. 

To show the relation of existing governments 
to the empire founded by Nimrod, the reader is 



AND OTHER SERMONS 15 

referred to Dan. ii: 31-45. In the vision of 
Nebuchadnezzar here recorded, a great image, a 
monster man, was seen : his head of fine gold, his 
breast and arms of silver, his belly and sides of 
brass, his legs of iron, and his feet and toes of 
mixed iron and clay. The government instituted 
by God would be represented by an ordinary man 
of flesh and blood. The many differences between 
the two can be easily seen. While the empires 
included in this image do not comprise all the 
nations of the earth, they include those important 
ones which figure in history, and which dominated 
the world. One feature of this image which strikes 
one as curious is the fact that each succeeding 
empire is represented by a metal inferior in value 
to the preceding one. This does not appear to 
be accidental, as in the explanation by the prophet, 
it is said, the second kingdom should be inferior 
to the first. Now it was not inferior in extent or 
power. In fact the last great empire was superior 
both in extent and power to any preceding 
one. In what, then, could the inferiority con- 
sist? Is it possible that in God's estimation 
human governments are deteriorating ? Men im- 
agine that great progress is being made in 
the art and science of government. They fondly 



1 6 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

imagine that the ends for which governments are 
instituted among men are being much more gen- 
erally and surely secured than ever they were in 
the past. That life, liberty, and property are bet- 
ter safeguarded under present forms than they 
were in the past centuries. But is this true ? Not 
if God's Word is true. In reality, the government 
of the Assyrian empire, in all those points which 
make governments valuable, was as superior to 
existing governments as fine gold is superior to 
mixed iron and clay. This is God's judgment in 
the matter. And can we not see some reason for 
thinking the same way? There is such a fear of 
governmental tyranny among the people in general, 
that they are swiftly drifting into anarchy, the ab- 
sence of all government. Their attention is steadily 
directed toward a point, from which no danger 
threatens, while they are rushing into the jaws of 
an undiscovered danger; an evil which will most 
certainly overwhelm them. Human government in 
rebellion against God will prove such a disastrous 
and awful failure in the end, that men in general 
will welcome the Kingdom of Christ as the only 
means of rescuing them from the results of their 
own folly and madness. To this end we are fast 
hastening. 



AND OTHER SERMONS 17 

The head of fine gold represents the Chaldean, 
at that time merged into the Assyrian, empire. 
The next kingdom or empire arising, inferior to 
the first, is the Medo-Persian, under Cambyses 
and Cyrus. Being composed of the two nations, 
the Medes and the Persians, it is fitly represented 
by the two arms of the image. In Dan. vii : 5, 
this Medo-Persian empire is represented under the 
figure of a bear, while the Assyrian empire is 
represented by a winged lion. The third empire 
is represented by the belly and sides of the image 
composed of brass. This represents the Macedon- 
ian empire under Alexander, called The Great, 
and his successors. In chapter vii it has the 
emblem of a winged leopard ; the four wings rep- 
resenting the rapidity of Alexander's conquests. 
Each of these two later empires subverted and 
overthrew its predecessor. Each one increased in 
power and extent of territory corr ared to the one 
before it. 

The fourth empire, represented by the legs of 
iron, is the Roman dominion. In Dan. vii this 
empire is represented by a nondescript beast, un- 
like anything in nature. "After this I saw in the 
night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful 
and terrible, and strong exceedingly : and it had 



l8 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

great iron teeth : it devoured and brake in pieces 
and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and 
it was diverse from all the beasts that were before 
it; and it had ten horns" (verse 7). This figura- 
tive description of the Roman empire is very 
significant. Its great power and the completeness 
of its subjection of other nations are clearly shown. 
Its diversity from the preceding empires, mentioned 
by the prophet, no doubt consisted principally in 
its forms of government. The preceding empires 
had been absolute monarchies. Rome had, at dif- 
ferent times, seven different forms of government. 
But the prevailing form was republican ; and the 
citizens of Rome had an unconquerable repugnance 
to the name of king. Even under the imperators 
or emperors, Rome was called a republic. The 
two legs of the image are probably intended to 
show the division of the Roman empire into the 
two parts, Eastern and Western, of which the capital 
of one was Constantinople, or the city of Con- 
stantine, and of the other division the capital was 
Rome, which was formerly the capital of the 
whole empire. 

The feet and toes of the image represent the 
final divisions of the Roman empire into the existing 
states of Europe. In the vision of the beasts, 



AND OTHER SERMONS 19 

(chapter vii) these divisions are represented by the 
ten horns of the fourth beast. In Rev. xii : 3, the 
ten horns of the great red dragon represent these 
same divisions. Also in chapter xiii : i, 2, the ten 
horns of the beast which took the dragon's seat 
mean the same thing. This ten-horned beast is 
mentioned again in Rev. xvii:3. This beast de- 
scribed in chapter xiii, as being Hke a leopard, and 
having the mouth of a lion and the feet of a 
bear, represents the second Roman empire origi- 
nating under Charlemagne, in 800 A.D. It is the 
beast " that was, and is not, and yet is." That is, 
the Roman empire existed, then ceased to exist, 
and then came into being again. The harlot 
spoken of in chapter xvii as seated on the beast, is 
the apostate church which is in league with, and 
supported by, the civil power. The map of 
Europe is not constant, but changes take place 
now and then; yet the ten horns approximately 
represent these divisions at any time. The nations 
of the Western Hemisphere may not seem to be 
included in this prophecy, but when it is consid- 
ered that their inhabitants are emigrants from 
these European countries and the descendants of 
such emigrants, they may be consistently included. 
It is true also that in the United States the 



20 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

apostate church is not supported by the civil power 
in the same sense in which it is done in Europe. 
No form of rehgion is estabhshed by law, nor 
are the ministers of religion supported from the 
public purse. Yet this church is recognized by the 
laws of the land, her ministers are made chaplains 
in the army and navy, and in the various legisla- 
tive bodies of the land : she is incorporated so as 
to own property, and this property is exempt from 
taxation ; and in various other ways she is recog- 
nized and supported by the civil power. 

From all these things we learn that the gov- 
ernments existing to-day are the legitimate suc- 
cessors of the government of Nimrod, who was the 
arch-rebel against God, who set up the first rebel- 
hous empire. In God's view, the empires of the 
past and present are parts of one stupendous whole 
represented by the Monster Man of Nebuchadnez- 
zar's vision. It will not be the fate of these na- 
tions to merge peacefully into the Kingdom of our 
Lord. We discover for them, in the Scriptures, a 
far different fate. These kingdoms composed of 
mixed iron and clay, lack the unity and strength 
of the preceding empires. Popular opinion, which, 
like the potter's clay, is so plastic and so easily 
moulded into one form and then into another by 



AND OTHER SERMONS 21 

the craft of men, is a constant weakness in the 
governments of to-day. Under the former empires 
no such thing was known as popular opinion. 
This weakness hampers and handicaps those in 
authority. It is a power that must constantly be 
deferred to, and yet its whims cannot be foreseen. 
Thus the plans of government must be carried 
forward, Hke a ship sailing against the wind, by 
tacking, first to this side and then to that side, 
through fear of the shifting of public opinion. That 
government which depends for support upon pub- 
lic opinion must necessarily be vacillating and 
uncertain in all its plans and performances. It 
cannot move forward directly. So the govern- 
ments of the present day are ** partly strong and 
partly broken." 

In Dan. 11:34, 35 we read: "Thou sawest till 
that a stone was cut out without hands which 
smote the image upon his feet, that were of iron 
and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was 
the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the 
gold broken in pieces together, and became like 
the chaff of the summer threshing floors ; and the 
wind carried them away that no place was found 
for them : and the stone that smote the image 
became a great mountain and filled the whole 



22 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

earth." In the 44th verse the explanation is given 
of those verses just quoted. ''In the days of these 
kings shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom, 
which shall never be destroyed ; and the kingdom 
shall not be left to other people, but it shall brake 
in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it 
shall stand forever." In Dan. vii which gives the 
account of the vision of the four beasts referred 
to above, in the 13 th and 14th verses we find 
another description of the same event : '' I saw in 
the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of 
man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to 
the Ancient of days, and they brought him near 
before him. And there was given him dominion, 
and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, 
and languages, should serve him : his dominion is 
an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, 
and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." 
That the kingdom of Christ is here described is 
not doubted or disputed ; but there is a difference 
of opinion as to what Kingdom of Christ is re- 
ferred to. Those who deny the premillennial 
coming of our Lord endeavor to make it appear 
that the spiritual kingdom or church of Christ is 
here described. But there are two fatal objections 
to this exposition. First. The time of the 



AND OTHER SERMONS 23 

appearance of this kingdom is far distant from the 
beginning of the Christian era. Christ's advent oc- 
curred when the Roman empire was in its glory, 
long before the feet, representing the second Roman 
empire, and the toes, representing the present king- 
doms of Europe, were in existence. The little 
stone is said to begin to smite the image upon 
the feet, but Christ's spiritual kingdom was set up 
eight hundred years before the image had any 
feet, and twice that long before it had any toes. 
If Christianity, when it was introduced into the 
world, had attacked the image, it would have, of 
necessity, begun to smite the legs of the image 
and" not the feet. The image was complete, toes 
and all, before the little stone began to smite, and 
that is nearly two thousand years later than the 
advent of Christianity: altogether too great a dis- 
crepancy. Second. It is not and never was, any 
part of the mission of Christianity to attack, or in 
any way antagonize existing human governments. 
Nothing is more plainly set forth in the New 
Testament than the duty of God's people to sub- 
mit to the governments as they find them, good 
or bad, and to recognize existing conditions as the 
will of God to them. When the Jewish patriots, 
who opposed submission to the Roman authority, 



24 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

endeavored to engage Christ on their side of the 
mooted question of the lawfulness of paying tribute, 
they could get no further expression from him 
than the injunction, '' Render therefore unto Caesar 
the things that be Caesar's, and unto God the 
things that be God's." They found in him no 
encouragement to resistance to established author- 
ity, however galling it might be to national pride. 
Christianity teaches submission, but it does not in- 
culcate patriotism. It was the pagan Greeks who 
first taught the duty of patriotism, and who es- 
teemed it one of the highest virtues ; and it is but 
a pagan virtue still. There is not one word in the 
whole New Testament recommending such a virtue. 
It is not once mentioned. Whatever influence 
Christianity may have upon civil governments is 
wholly indirect and gentle. It restrains human 
passion, and inculcates justice and mercy. Its in- 
fluence is transforming, but not destructive. If 
Christianity were universal, mankind would come 
back again to the simple government given him 
in the beginning. National boundaries would be 
obliterated, inherited enmities and prejudices would 
disappear, and all mankind would be one brother- 
hood. But no violence would be done to exist- 
ing governments. They would disappear simply 



AND OTHER SERMONS 25 

because no longer necessary. Since Christianity in- 
culcates submission to existing governments, and 
does not attack them or tolerate resistance to them, 
it cannot be referred to, or represented by, the 
little stone which smote the image on the feet. It 
is, therefore, to be applied to the Kingdom 
which Jesus will set up at *' His appearing 
and Kingdom." We are told that His Kingdom 
is to rule all nations with a rod of iron and break 
them in pieces as a potter's vessel is broken. It 
is evident that those governments that are to be 
so violently destroyed at His coming, must be in 
opposition to Him and His government. They are 
not simply displaced, but are utterly annihilated, 
as having nothing of value in them. They are 
usurping governments ruling in contravention of 
Christ's right, as it is said in Ezek. xxi : 27, ** I 
will overturn, overturn, overturn it: and it shall be 
no more, until he come whose right it is ; and I 
will give it him." These kings rule without right 
then : their governments are " de facto^' but not 
^' de jural' governments. God never divested Him- 
self of the right of governing mankind, and He has 
committed all government to His Son. He is the 
only lawful potentate ; all others are pretenders 
and usurpers. We are told that the Father has 



2 6 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

put all things under His feet. This is in pros- 
pect: it is not yet accomplished. And what are 
these things that are put under His feet ? H Cor. 
xv: 25, we read: ''For he must reign till he 
hath put all enemies under his feet." And the 
preceding verse, "When he shall have put down 
all rule and all authority and power." All these 
latter then are his enemies. They are the "King- 
doms of this world " which shall become the 
" Kingdom of our Lord, even of his Christ." In 
Christ's temptation in the wilderness, Satan lays 
claim to the kingdoms of the world, and this claim 
is nowhere disputed. He is declared to be " The 
God of this world." H Cor. iv : 4, James tells 
us that "The friendship of this world is enmity 
against God." It seems clear from these and many 
other statements of Holy Writ, that there is a sys- 
tem of evil on the earth, of which system the 
Devil is author and Lord, which is in opposition 
to God ; and Satan himself claims the governments 
of the earth as belonging to that system, and this 
claim the Lord Jesus himself does not dispute. 
As has already been said, the Lord Jesus is right- 
ful ruler of the earth, having been promised this 
dominion b}- His Father, and is being kept out of 
possession of His own by the refusal of mankind 



AND OTHER SERMONS 27 

to submit to His righteous sway. This state of 
things is referred to in a parable recorded in Luke 
xix : 12-27. Here a certain nobleman is said to 
go into a far country to receive for himself a 
kingdom and to return. Here Christ evidently re- 
fers to Italy as the far country to which this noble- 
man went. And this leads me to call your 
attention to matter I forgot to speak of in the 
proper connection. It is said of the fourth beast 
in Dan. vii, which had great iron teeth, that it 
" devoured and brake in pieces and stamped the 
residue with its feet." It seems not to have used 
its teeth on all its conquests, some were merely 
stamped upon with its feet. In this Rome differed 
from the empires preceding it. They uniformly 
overturned the governments of the countries they 
conquered, and amalgamated them with the em- 
pire, and governed them with Satrops appointed 
by the central authority. The. only exception to 
this rule that I think of is Alexander's conduct 
toward King Porus in Western India. And this 
might not have long continued had Alexander 
lived. His soldiers refused to follow him further, 
and he was compelled to turn back before finish- 
ing the conquest of India. But Rome did not act 
uniformly in the matter. Some governments were 



28 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

entirely overthrown and the country governed by 
Consuls or Deputies, Roman citizens appointed by 
the Roman Senate. This was done in most cases. 
In other instances, the conquered provinces were 
permitted to retain their own form of government, 
and, in some instances, their own kings, being re- 
quired to pay tribute to Rome in token of their 
subjection to the Roman empire. These the beast 
is said merely to stamp with his feet. Judea was 
in this residue, and the sceptre did not depart 
from Judah until after the birth of Christ. But 
those who reigned in these kingdoms, so leniently 
treated, held their authority from the Roman Sen- 
ate. So on the death of any ruler, his successor 
was forced to get his authority confirmed by the 
Roman Senate ; and this was not only a costly 
matter, but often required a journey to Rome. It 
is to this circumstance our Lord refers when He 
represents the nobleman as making his journey 
into a far country to receive his kingdom. The 
nobleman in the parable is intended to represent 
our Lord, who has gone to Heaven to receive His 
kingdom from His Father. Heb. x: 12, 13, ''But 
this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for 
sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God ; 
from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made 



AND OTHER SERMONS 29 

his footstool." He has gone to receive his king- 
dom and to return. The servants of his house to 
whom he distributed the money, commanding them 
to occupy till he came again, represent real Chris- 
tians. The unprofitable servant represents those 
who fall away from their fidelity. His citizens who 
hated him represent the world in general who re- 
fuse his authority and set up governments of their 
own. The nobleman's return, having received his 
kingdom, represents Christ's second coming to 
reign on the earth, when all His enemies shall sub- 
mit to His sway. 

The emblems of these kingdoms or empires 
show them to be out of harmony with the will of God. 
A lion, a bear, a leopard, and a beast exceeding ter- 
rible, with great iron teeth, cannot be supposed to 
represent God's ideal of civil government. They 
represent cruelty, rapacity, love of dominion, and 
all those properties diametrically opposed to 
that justice and righteousness which characterize 
the Divine government. It cannot be supposed 
that such beasts of prey could properly symbolize 
any governments for which God could stand 
sponsor. Consequently when Jesus the rightful 
ruler comes He will not use these hostile powers 
for the government of the world, but will utterly 



so CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

destroy them. ** Then was the iron, the clay, the 
brass, the silver, and the gold broken to pieces 
together, and became like the chaff of the sum- 
mer threshing floor; and the wind carried them 
away, that no place was found for them." — Dan. 
ii:35. What language could express more com- 
plete destruction ! Not a vestige of these govern- 
ments left; not a principle preserved. Of all the 
results of human wisdom and experience in the 
science of government, not one thing of any value 
will be found : nothing worth preserving. There 
was no place where a single item of it could be 
used. *' No place was found for them." How 
humiliating ! What a dismal failure ! Human 
governments are based upon compromise : natural 
rights must be surrendered that security may be 
assured. Human rights must compromise with 
human greed. But in Christ's government there 
will be no compromise. Its cornerstone is ?'ig-/if- 
eousnesSy and there is no compromise in righteous- 
ness. What a glorious spectacle to see the world 
ruled in righteousness ! What a contrast to the 
existing state of things. " Then shall wars and 
tumults cease." Violence and oppression will be 
unknown, fraud and dishonesty will have vanished 
forever. Man shall no longer rob his fellow-man. 



AND OTHER SERMONS 3 1 

nor shall they hurt nor destroy in all God's holy 
mountain, and this mountain shall fill the whole 
earth. ''And the stone that smote the image be- 
came a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." 
— Dan. ii:35. Blessed consummation ! The Lord 
hasten it ! It seems clear then that these govern- 
ments, so utterly repudiated and destroyed could 
not have been according to God's will. We con- 
clude then from the preceding arguments that ex- 
isting human governments are antagonistic to God's 
government, and usurpers of His rights : that they 
form a part of a great system of evil existing on 
earth, of which Satan is the god and author ; a 
system constructed to hold mankind in a state of 
disloyalty to God, and to supply the place of the 
Divine arrangement and of that system of right- 
eousness which would prevail, were mankind loyal 
to the government of God. 

This much being established, it will be proper 
in the next place to show what is the relation of 
God's people to these governments. The answer 
seems to be evident It is plain to be seen that 
they cannot become a part of that evil and dis- 
loyal system, without being guilty of disloyalty to 
God. The attitude which they are to maintain 
toward these governments is plainly set forth in 



32 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

the New Testament. Since it is God's will that 
these usurping powers should continue for a 
time, He commands His people to recognize them 
as dc facto governments, and to yield obedience 
to them. As mankind in general will not submit 
to God's government, and since some kind of 
government is essential to maintain order among 
mankind, that the Divine purposes concerning the 
human race may be wrought out, God makes use 
of these rebellious powers to accomplish His ends. 
'' He maketh the wrath of man to praise him, and 
the remainder of wrath he restrains." Though 
man is in rebellion against God, He has not sur- 
rendered His authority over him ; and what power 
and authority man possesses and exercises, he does 
it simply by God's permission. Satan may rule 
in the kingdoms of men, but God overrules. " Man 
proposes, but God disposes." He manifests His 
great wisdom and power by using the machina- 
tions of His enemies to accomplish His own benefi- 
cent designs. These hostile powers are under 
His control, and He marks the limits beyond 
which they cannot pass. So it is said, "■ There is 
no power but of God." Whatever may be the 
plans and designs of the rulers of the nations, 
whatever their motives and ambitions may be, God, 



AND OTHER SERMONS 33 

that sitteth in the Heavens, manages and controls 
all these according to His own good pleasure. 

"Deep in unfathomable mines 
Of never-failing skill, 
He treasures up His bright designs 
And works His sovereign will." 

Since God rides upon the whirlwind and di- 
rects the storm, His people are instructed to sub- 
mit to existing governments, knowing that their 
Father is at the helm and is managing all these 
things. They are instructed to pray for kings 
and all those in authority, that they may be al- 
lowed to live peaceable lives in all godliness and 
honesty. 

It may be objected that the wild beasts of 
Daniel's vision may well represent those pagan 
empires of old, but that they do not properly 
represent the *' Christian" governments of Europe 
and America. I have shown that these govern- 
ments are a part of the same great image, and 
that they are represented by the 4th beast which 
was great and terrible. But let us look at these 
governments from the standpoint of reason alone, 
and see if they have any real claim to the name 
of ** Christian." As God chose wild beasts to 

represent these savage pagan empires, what do 
c.c— 3 



34 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

these ''Christian" governments choose as their 
emblems. Do they choose lambs, doves, or inno- 
cent domestic animals as their emblems? Not so. 
They choose lions, bears, eagles, beasts, and birds 
of prey. And do these emblems properly repre- 
sent them? They most assuredly do. No one 
has ever noticed or pointed out any incongruity 
in these emblems. In what particular do these 
governments differ from those of former ages? I 
know of no essential difference. They are beasts 
of prey, devouring the weaker nations. A large 
part of their revenues is used in providing imple- 
ments and instruments of warfare on land and sea. 
There is really no peace betAveen them; simply an 
armed truce ; each one straining every ner\'e to 
get an advantage over the other, in point of pre- 
paredness for war and ready at a moment's notice 
to engage in the fray. Their traditional enmities 
and mutual jealousies are notorious. It is plainly 
to be seen how the}' love one another ( ?) And 
are these belligerent, selfish, grasping nations de- 
serving of the name of Christian? In China the 
profession of a soldier is regarded with contempt; 
in ''Christendom" it is most highly honored. But 
poor China is benighted by the darkness of 
paganism. However, it seems to be in a fair way 



AND OTHER SERMONS 35 

at present to learn better things, being now under 
the tutelage of the *' Christian" nations, from whom 
it may learn to encourage war, by exalting the 
successful warrior into a hero. 

There is then no reason for supposing that 
existing governments are less hostile to God's 
government than those of prior times, and there 
is no proof that a Christian owes them any greater 
allegiance. His attitude toward these higher powers 
is that of obedience and submission merely. He 
recognizes the fact that he is outside these organ- 
isms, an alien and a stranger. That these govern- 
ments belong to that world out of which he has 
been chosen and of which he is no longer a part. 

The fact that the Christian is a pilgrim and a 
stranger is often stated in the Scriptures, but the 
significance of the statement is not generally per- 
ceived. It is often remarked by speakers, espe- 
cially on funeral occasions, that men are pilgrims, 
but the explanation given is, that we are here for 
such a short time, and are so swiftly passing away. 
But if this is what is meant by being a ''pilgrim 
and a stranger," then it is not pecuHar to Chris- 
tians. It is equally true of saint and sinner. But 
some are said to be dwellers on the earth. Luke 
xxi: 34,35, "And take heed to yourselves, lest 



2,6 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

at any time your hearts be overcharged with sur- 
feiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this Hfe, and 
so that day come upon you unawares. For as a 
snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the 
face of the whole earthT There is a plain dis- 
tinction made here between God's people and those 
who dwell 011 the earth. The day of the Lord 
will inevitably come as a snare on all the dwellers 
on the earth, but not on Christians if they are 
watchful. Rev. iii:io, "Because thou hast kept 
the word of my patience, I also will keep thee 
from the hour of temptation, which shall come 
upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon 
the earth." Rev. vi : lo, "And they cried with 
a loud voice, how long, O Lord, holy and true, 
dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them 
that dwell on the earth?" These and other Scrip- 
tures that might be quoted show that there is a 
plain distinction made between Christians, who are 
called pilgrims and strangers, and the dwellers on 
the earth. Only those are called pilgrims and stran- 
gers, who have expatriated themselves, by forsaking 
one country in search of another. Abraham's call is a 
type of that of the Christian. He forsook the land 
of his nativity and dwelt in the land of Canaan, a 
stranger in a strange land. There were dwellers 



AND OTHER SERMONS 37 

in that land who lived in cities, while Abraham 
was a stranger, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob^ 
heirs with him of the same promise. At that time 
God gave him no inheritance in Canaan, not so 
much as to put the sole of his foot upon. (Acts 
vii:5.) But he promised the whole land to him 
and his seed. We are told that those who dwell 
in tents declare plainly that they seek a country. 
(Heb. xi:i4.) God's people under the gospel 
do not forsake the land of their nativity in the 
literal sense of moving out of it, nor do they lit- 
erally dwell in tents. But in a spiritual sense they 
do both these things. They are actually made 
citizens of another country, and renounce their cit- 
izenship in the land of their birth. By natural 
birth they become citizens of this world, by their 
second birth they become citizens of another coun- 
try. They are born from above, and their citi- 
zenship is in heaven. Phil, iii : 20, ** For our 
conversation (^politeuma, citizenship) is in heaven.'' 
The authorized version gives us a poor conception 
of the meaning of the original. The word " con- 
versation" is used in a different sense now from 
that given it two hundred years ago. It then 
usually meant ''manner of life, or conduct." But 
that is an inadequate rendering of the original 



38 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Greek. The Greek lexicon gives the meaning thus : 
Politeuma, the constitution of a state, conduct in 
the administration of state affairs, citizenship ; a 
city Hfe. Mr. Wesley in his ''Notes on the New 
Testament " thus explains it : " Our conversation — 
The Greek word is of a very extensive meaning, 
our citizenship, our thoughts, our affections, are 
already in heaven." Dr. Adam Clarke in his 
"Commentary," thus defines the meaning of the 
original: " {^Oiir conversation is in heaveji) Hemon 
— to politetima, our city or citizenships or civil 
rights r 

I give these translations of Wesley and Clarke 
to show that I am not trying to give an unusual 
or unauthorized meaning to the words. We are 
plainly informed that the Christian's citizenship is 
in heaven, and if so, it cannot be on the earth, 
unless he can have citizenship in two countries, 
under two different governments at the same time. 
This we know is not allowable. In Eph. ii:i2, 
we read : '' That at that time ye were without 
Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of 
Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, 
having no hope, and without God in the world." 
And in verse 19, "Now therefore ye are no more 
strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with 



AND OTHER SERMONS 39 

the saints and of the household of God." Christ's 
kingdom is a commonwealth, each member being 
a citizen of the same. Though it is a kingdom 
without a country, its citizens being scattered 
among the nations of the earth as aliens and 
sojourners, yet it will come into possession of the 
earth after awhile and all nations shall serve it. 
The Israelites, journeying from the bondage of 
Egypt to the promised land, were a type of the 
militant church of Christ. They also were a nation 
without a country, but God dispossessed the Can- 
aanites and gave them a kingdom when their 
wanderings were ended. In I Pet. ii : 1 1 , it is 
written : " Dearly beloved, I beseech you as 
strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, 
which war against the soul." We learn then that 
sinners are aliens from the commonwealth of 
Christ's Israel, and saints are aliens, strangers, 
pilgrims in this world. As no man can be an 
alien and a citizen of Christ's kingdom both at 
the same time, neither can he be an alien and a 
citizen of a worldly kingdom or commonwealth at 
the same time. The Apostle expressly declares 
that when a man becomes a citizen of the com- 
monwealth of Israel, he is no longer a stranger or 



40 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

alien. If a Christian is a citizen of an earthly 
country, exercising all the rights and privileges of 
such a position, in what possible sense can he be 
said to be a pilgrim or alien, that would not be 
true of any other citizen of the same state ? On 
such a hypothesis all that is said in the New 
Testament of his being a pilgrim and stranger is 
made meaningless and untrue. In other words, if 
a Christian is a citizen of a worldly government, I 
am bold to affirm that he is in no sense a stranger 
or pilgrim, except as every sinner may be said to 
be the same. Any man who claims citizenship 
here does by that act deny citizenship there. The 
two are incompatible and cannot co-exist. It is 
as impossible to have citizenship on earth and in 
heaven both as to have your treasure both here 
and there, or your home both here and there. To 
the dwellers on the earth, this is their home, and 
they feel at home here. This world is good enough 
for them, except as they think they may improve 
it. Their treasure is here, their interests are here, 
their possessions are here. They are in harmony 
with their invironment, and do not realize that 
"the friendship of the world is enmity against 
God." To look at their conduct you see no signs 



AND OTHER SERMONS 41 

that they are seeking a country. They are as 
desirous to lay up treasure here as though they 
were to remain here forever. They strive after the 
honors of the world and the praise of men, as 
though they were of the highest value. They buy 
and sell, and plant and build, just as if there was 
no other world. Their whole life is concentrated 
in sublunary things. They may be religious, but 
their religion is of a kind that fits in with the 
present condition of things and does not interfere 
with their worldly success. It is one wheel in the 
great system now dominating the earth and comes 
from the same source. ''This wisdom cometh not 
from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish." The 
real Christian is but a stranger here, passing through 
the world as a pilgrim, a sojourner. He feels him- 
self out of harmony with his surroundings, mis- 
understood, misjudged. '' Therefore the world 
knoweth us not, because it knew him not." He 
is an object of derision to the thoughtless and 
pleasure-loving, of scorn and contempt to the 
worldly-wise, of hatred and malice to the votaries 
of a false religion. Everything about him reminds 
him that he is away from home, in a strange 
land. And truly if he desires the country from 
which he came out, he has abundant opportunity 



42 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

to return. But now he desires a better, a heavenly 
country. He sings with Wesley: — 

" How happy is the pilgrim's lot ; 

How free from every anxious thought, 

From worldly care or fear. 

Confined to neither court nor cell, 
His soul disdains on earth to dwell ; 

He only sojourns here. 

" Nothing on earth I call my own ; 
A stranger to the world, unknown, 
I all their goods despise. 

I trample on their whole delight; 
And seek a city out of sight — 
A city in the skies." 

His citizenship, his treasure, his affections, are 
in heaven ; his life is hid with Christ in God ; and 
when Christ, who is his life, shall appear, he also 
shall appear with him in glory. This is the portrait 
of a real Christian as drawn by inspiration. These 
are the lineaments by which he is distinguished. 

As the child of God is not a citizen of any 
earthly country, he takes no part in governing the 
world. It is no part of his business to try to im- 
prove or purify these governments that are in re- 
bellion against God and doomed to destruction at 
Christ's coming. He is a spectator only; an in- 
terested spectator it is true, because he desires to 
live a peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. 
Because he is a lover of his race he cannot but 



AND OTHER SERMONS 43 

be pained at that which causes suffering and dis- 
tress. His sympathies can but be with justice and 
righteousness, and against oppression and evil-doing. 
Yet he knows that there is no remedy for the evils 
that afifhct humanity, but in submission to the right- 
eous sway of the rightful King. His duty is to obey 
the laws, not to make them. He could favor none 
but God's laws, and he knows that they cannot 
be enforced under the present order of things. 
Carnal men are not subject to the law of God and 
cannot be made subject. It is a rod of iron which 
no human power can impose upon mankind. Herein 
is where many well-meaning people are in error. 
Suppose they could enact the whole moral law of 
God into .statute law; it would be a dead letter, 
because it could not be enforced. Under the pres- 
ent system of things, laws must be made to suit 
existing conditions, not ideal conditions. God him- 
self did not try to enforce the whole moral law 
upon carnal men. Why ? Jesus says that the 
Divine ideal of the marriage state made it indis- 
soluble except by death or the infidelity of one 
of the contracting parties. Yet Moses allowed hus- 
bands to give bills of divorcement, becaitse of the 
hardness of men's hearts. Are men's hearts any 
less hard now than then? God saw that to com- 



44 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

pel husbands ana wives in their sinful state, to live 
together when they hated one another, would be 
productive of greater evils and more suffering than 
a system of divorce would engender. Then He 
had not made provision to conform men's hearts 
to the requirements of His law. ** The times of 
this ignorance God winked at; but now command- 
eth all men, everywhere, to repent." — Acts xvii : 
30. Now men may have their natures brought 
into harmony with God's law, and if they will not 
accept of Divine aid, the standard will not be 
lowered to suit their carnality. Since God will not 
lower the standard of morals, His children cannot 
be a party to such a plan. But human govern- 
ments are impossible, at present, without com- 
promise bet\veen what is^ and wJiat ought to 
be. Therefore Christians can have no part in 
such governments. ''Neither be partaker of an- 
other man's sins : keep thyself pure." All human 
governments are founded upon force and are 
dependent upon the power of the sword. In 
just as far as the Christian makes himself respon- 
sible for human government, he becomes responsi- 
ble for the exercise of this force ; for war and 
bloodshed. Jesus says: ''My Kingdom is not of 
this world : if my kingdom were of this world, 



AND OTHER SERMONS 45 

then would my servants fight, that I should not 
be delivered to the Jews." — John xviii:36. If it 
was not lawful for God's people to fight to estab- 
lish Christ's rightful authority, how can it be law- 
ful for them to fight to establish authority that 
usurps his right? I know that casuists pretend to 
distinguish between righteous and unrighteous wars, 
and insist that while it is unlawful for a Christian 
to fight in the one, it is lawful for him to fight 
in the other. But what could be a more right- 
eous war than one waged to establish Christ's au- 
thority? But Christians are forbidden to fight 
even then. I know that a false Christianity feels 
forced to find some justification for a Christian's 
fighting, else their religion would not fit into the 
world system. But the incongruity of a man who 
professes to love all mankind, even his enemies, 
being engaged in trying to kill some of them, is 
too apparent to be explained away. And the dis- 
position, so common in this age to canonize, or 
make saints of those who die fighting for their 
country, is wholly pagan and anti-Christian. The 
old Romans allowed that one who died fighting 
for his country was fit for paradise ; but in their 
estimation, so also was one who invented useful 
arts; but that is scarcely accepted by modern 



46 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Christians (?) as a sufficient qualification for 
Heaven. With these the fighter has much the 
better of it. From the foregoing it is easy to 
perceive the inconsistency of those who in this 
country vote, but will not fight, holding war to 
be contrary to their principles. By supporting 
a government dependent on force for its main- 
tainance, they become responsible for war, but 
refuse themselves to engage in it. Such conduct 
is puerile. I may as well engage in war myself 
as to authorize others to do so. That human 
governments are resting on force is so evident as 
scarcely to need argument. It is an axiom among 
statesmen, that the surest way to avoid war is to 
be always prepared for it. How short would be 
the history of any government which refused to 
defend itself. Such a countr}^ would speedily be- 
come the prey of its greedy and rapacious neigh- 
bors. It is manifest then that the man whose 
principles will not permit him to fight, can assume 
no responsibility for the government of the world. 
The Christian's only duty toward human gov- 
ernments is that of subjection. He is to render 
unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. **' Trib- 
ute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom, 
fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor." But 



AND OTHER SERMONS 47 

this does not relieve him from the obhgation of 
rendering unto God the things that be God's. 
In other words, Caesar has no authority to come 
in between him and his duty to God. As a rule, 
the requirements of human governments do not 
conflict with duty toward God. Such governments 
are intended to be for *'the punishment of evil 
doers, and for the praise of them that do well." 
They are usually " ministers of God to us for 
good." But there are exceptional cases where it 
is otherwise. This may be intentional, but is 
usually unintentional. What must the Christian do 
under such circumstances? In cases where human 
authority requires what God forbids, or forbids 
what God commands? The answer is plain, God's 
law is the higher law, and its demands are the 
stronger. In Acts iv: 19 we have the Apostle's 
answer : " But Peter and John answered and said 
unto them. Whether it be right in the sight of 
God to hearken unto you more than unto God, 
judge ye." It is a universally recognized fact that 
God's authority is paramount; and Peter and John 
confidently appealed to the conscience of their 
judges in the matter. They believed it to be an 
undeniable fact that God must be obeyed rather 
than man, when there was a conflict of author- 
ity. So the Christian must do as these Apostles 



48 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

did and obey God, and meekly take the conse- 
quences of disobeying man. That God was not 
displeased with their conduct is seen in the favor 
which he manifested toward them when they had 
returned to their own company. After reciting 
the facts to their brethren, and after they had 
unitedly called upon God for assistance, it is writ- 
ten, verse 31, ''And when they had prayed, the 
place was shaken where they were assembled to- 
gether; and they were all filled with the Holy 
Ghost, and they spake the word of God with 
boldness." This was the express thing they were 
forbidden to do by the rulers. 

It is clear that it is inconsistent for a Christian 
to vote, for that would be exercising the very 
power of sovereignty. But there are other things 
which may not appear so, clear to everyone at 
first glance. The law of the land declares it to 
be a crime to conceal a crime. This would make 
it incumbent on the Christian to become an in- 
former against his fellowmen. Is this always his 
duty? If I discover a thief steaHng my property, 
am I in duty bound, in conscience toward God, to 
inform on him? May not love, the higher law, 
require me to conceal the crime in hopes of the 
culprit's reformation? While he cannot, in any 
proper sense, become a partaker in another's crime, 



AND OTHER SERMONS 49 

I do not believe that God's law makes a Christian 
a public informer against others. He is not a 
competent witness anyway, as he is forbidden to 
use any form of oath. But if he is legally called 
as a witness by any court, it is his duty to show 
the court all possible submission, to honor its 
writs, and to present himself as required. If such 
testimony as he can give is allowed, he is at lib- 
erty to tell all he knows. He must obey to the 
Hmit of a good conscience. He may be called to 
sit as a juror. He is disqualified as he cannot be 
sworn. But could he be a juror if that require- 
ment could be waived? I think not. For while 
he could decide from the evidence as to the guilt 
or innocence of the accused (he would do that 
if he heard the evidence, whether on the jury or 
not), yet he could not take the responsibility of 
fixing a penalty. This is a function of govern- 
ment, and so outside of his province. We have 
the example of Jesus in this matter. We are told 
in John viii of a woman taken in adultery being 
brought by the Pharisees to Jesus. They said to 
him, " Now Moses in the law commanded that 
such should be stoned : but what sayest thou ? " 
Jesus at first appeared to pay no attention to 

them ; but as they continued to urge Him for an 
c.c. — 4 



5© CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

answer He said, *' He that is without sin among 
you, let him first cast a stone at her." And again 
He wrote upon the ground and waited for their 
awakened consciences to do their work. '' And 
they which heard it, being convicted by their own 
conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the 
eldest." This shows that innocent men only can 
consistently administer the laws, and enforce their 
penalties. If this principle were adhered to, the 
empaneling of juries would be a much more diffi- 
cult work than it now is. I fear the administration 
of justice would be entirely clogged. Yet anything 
else is hypocrisy and sham. When Jesus saw 
they were all gone, except the guilty woman, he 
said, ''Woman, where are thine accusers? hath no 
man condemned thee?" She replied, ''No man. 
Lord." Jesus replied, "Neither do I condemn 
thee : go and sin no more." Christ was the only 
one of all who had been present who was quali- 
fied, by His character, to enforce the law, and He 
refused to do so. He declares that He had not 
come to judge the world, but that the world through 
Him might be saved. To enforce civil law against 
offenders was no part of His mission, nor is it 
any part of the work of His people, who represent 
Him here, and have taken up His work. They 



AND OTHER SERMONS 5 I 

are to imitate His example. Methinks I hear the 
caviller enquire of Him, " How could government 
be carried on if everybody did as you do?" This 
thought would not have worried Him, nor need it 
worry His people. They are not responsible for 
the maintenance of those governments which are 
substituted for Christ's rule. There is no prospect 
of everyone becoming imitators of Christ, and if 
they should, there would be no need of these 
governments. We are not to understand from this 
account of Christ's conduct toward this offending 
woman, that He in any sense excused or condoned 
her sinful conduct. There was no doubt of her 
guilt, and in that sense everyone condemned her. 
It is in the sense of inflicting the penalty of the 
law that no man condemned her, and in this sense 
alone the Lord did not condemn her. We con- 
clude from Christ's example and from the nature 
of the case, that Christians have nothing to do 
with the administration of justice or with the en- 
forcement of the civil law. 

In conclusion I will notice an objection that 
may be urged against the doctrine above advo- 
cated. And I think of but one objection founded 
upon Scripture that seems to have any particular 
force. In Acts xxi : 39, St. Paul calls himself a 



52 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

citizen of Tarsus, or rather, '* A citizen of no mean 
city." And so he was by birth, and by the laws 
of the empire. And so is a man born in America, 
or the United States, a citizen by birth, and ac- 
cording to the laws of the land, which laws hold 
him in duty bound to perform all that is required 
of any other citizen in peace and in war; and so 
the government is bound to afford him the pro- 
tection due to the citizen. It is only by swearing 
allegiance to some other earthly government that 
he can in law expatriate himself. The Christian 
cannot throw off the obligations of citizenship im- 
posed upon him by the laws, nor avoid those duties 
pertaining to citizenship. All that he can do to 
show that he does not recognize himself as a cit- 
izen of an earthly country is voluntarily to divest 
himself of the rights belonging to him as a citizen. 
And this Paul generally did, so far as we know, 
with but one exception, which I will notice here- 
after. In the instance in which he calls himself a 
citizen of Tarsus, he was simply informing the 
Roman Captain who he was ; for the captain sup- 
posed him to be an Egyptian who had been guilty 
of murder and revolt against the government. In 
another instance. Acts xxii:25, Paul asks the 
Centurion, when he was being bound with thongs 



AND OTHER SERMON 53 

in preparation for a scourging, if it was lawful to 
scourge a Roman, uncondenined. They were about 
to violate their own law and lay themselves liable 
to punishment, and Paul informs them of the fact. 
He did not stand upon his rights as a Roman, but 
simply informed them that they were about to vio- 
late their own law. At Philippi (Acts xvi:37), 
he takes no advantage of his Roman citizenship to 
avoid persecution, and makes no mention of it 
until he and Silas had been beaten openly while 
uncondemned, and had been imprisoned with their 
feet in the stocks. All this might have been 
avoided if they had stood on their rights as Romans. 
But this they would not do. We know it would 
have availed them to claim their rights as Roman 
citizens, for whenever the fact was mentioned, it 
always produced a marked effect upon the officers 
of the law. It is not generally understood in what 
high esteem Roman citizenship was held, nor what 
honor and privileges it conferred. Rienzi in his 
address to the degenerate Romans of his day de- 
clares that in the days of the empire's glory " to 
be a Roman was greater than a king." The stripes, 
the imprisonments, the beatings with rods, the 
stonings, might most of them, if not all of them, 
have been avoided by the great Apostle of the 



54 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Gentiles, had he demanded his rights as a Roman, 
but those things, even here, which were gain to 
him, those he counted loss for Christ. Like his 
Divine Master, who was not a Roman, he com- 
mitted his cause to Him that judgeth righteously. 
I will now speak of the one exceptional case. It 
is recorded in Acts xxv. Here Paul undoubtedly 
stood upon his rights as a Roman, when he ap- 
pealed unto Caesar. But in this conduct he was 
evidently moved by the fear of man, which is said 
to bring a snare. The Roman governor Festus, 
who wished to curry favor with the Jews, asked 
Paul if he was willing to go up to Jerusalem 
to be judged before him. Paul had shortly 
before succeeded in escaping from the Jews al- 
most by a miracle. He knew that the Jews 
did not intend to allow his case to come to 
trial, but if they got him once in their power 
would assassinate him. About forty persons among 
them had conspired together and bound them- 
selves by an oath not to eat nor drink until they 
had killed Paul. He knowing these things, and fear- 
ing from Festus' question that he would deliver him 
up to the Jews, and seeing but one way open to 
the natural apprehension, on the spur of the 



AND OTHER SERMONS 55 

moment took his case out of the hands of that God 
who had so far protected him, and had promised 
still to do so, and put his trust in Caesar. I have 
no manner of doubt that this was a mistake. 
Paul was no more infallible than was Peter. Not 
only is there an appearance of a mistake on the 
face of it, in that he trusts in an arm of flesh, 
which is forbidden, but the result confirms this 
opinion. For after his hearing before King 
Agrippa (Acts xxvi:32), the decision was "This 
man might have been set at liberty, if he had not 
appealed unto Caesar." So Paul, who had long 
meditated a journey to Rome, went there indeed, 
but as a prisoner, when he might have gone as a 
free man, and for three years his labors were con- 
fined to his own hired house in Rome, when he 
might have had the freedom of the city, had he 
trusted in God alone. It is true that Caesar lib- 
erated him this time, but the next time he came 
before Caesar, his case was as hopeless as if he 
had been in the hands of the Jews. God still 
had a work for him to do, or it would have been 
the same, probably, at the first trial. And God 
could as easily have delivered him out of the 
hands of the Jews as out of the hands of Nero. 
Though his hasty error did not deprive him of 



56 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

the favor of God, he was allowed to suffer its 
painful consequences, and thus was taught obedi- 
ence by the things which he suffered. 

The example of an Apostle is not sufificient 
evidence of the righteousness or propriety of an 
action. They were fallible men ; and we are to 
follow them only as they followed Christ. It is 
true they were under the guidance of the Holy 
Spirit, and so may we be, but that does not ren- 
der us, nor did it render them, free from the lia- 
bility to make mistakes in conduct. 

There is no other objection that occurs to me 
worthy of consideration. 

We conclude then that the whole duty ol a 
Christian toward existing civil governments is 
obedience and subjection. That he has no part in 
the government of the world, and can consistently 
assume no responsibility for the present order of 
things. That he is a stranger, a foreigner on 
earth, seeking his own country. That his citi- 
zenship is in heaven, as the Apostle declares, and 
that when Christ cometh in His Kingdom and 
establishes it upon the earth, then He will be a 
citizen here, and will assist in the administration 
of the government. In short, Christian citizen- 
ship is citizenship in the Heavenly Kingdom. 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 



I.OVE not the world, neither the things that are in the 
world; if any man love the world, the love of the Father 
is not in him.— I John ii:i5. 

'T^HE subject suggested by the passage of Scrip- 
ture quoted above is one of vast importance 
to the children of God. Yet it is one seldom ad- 
verted to in the preaching of the present day. 
And should it even be mentioned, the comments 
made on it are generally misleading and injurious. 
I must confess that in all my experience I have 
never heard the subject explained. Though the 
danger of worldly love is often mentioned, what 
the world is, which the Christian must not love, is 
left unexplained. It seems to be taken for granted 
that it needs no explanation ; that everyone is 
already adequately informed on the subject. But 
this is far from being true. Yet if we are not to 
love the world it is highly important that we 
should know what that thing is which we are not 
to love. Ignorance here is certainly dangerous. 
We may be guilty of disobedience and be uncon- 

(57) 



58 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

scious of it. It shall be my effort to show clearly 
what is meant by the prohibition ; what constitutes 
the world, and the things in the world. 

It will be seen that the subject is naturally 
divided into two parts : First. The World. Sec- 
ond. The things that are in the world. 

First. I shall, endeavor to show first what is the 
world which we are forbidden to love. There are 
two different Greek words usually translated by 
the English word ** world," '' kosmos'' and '' aioii!' 
These are not the only Greek words so translated, 
but any other is infrequent. The word '' aioii'' is 
used where the reference is to time, as the word 
literally means '*a long period of time, an age." 
Where the present and the future worlds are con- 
trasted, this Greek word is used ; meaning the 
present age or the age to come. I recall one ex- 
ception to this rule. In Heb. ii : 5 is the ex- 
pression " the world to come." The passage reads, 
''For unto the angels hath he not put in sub- 
jection the world to come, whereof we speak." 
Here the Greek word translated "the world to 
come" is '' oikonniejie," meaning "the habitable 
earth." But the word translated "world" in the 
text under consideration is '' kosinos." Its prima- 
tive meaning is "beauty, order, system." Like 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 59 

many other words, though, it has many tropical 
or changed meanings, and has a great variety of 
appUcations. It is the opposite of *' chaos " or 
" confusion." It means various things in the New 
Testament. Thus in John iii : 16, "For God so 
loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
Son, etc.," it evidently means " mankind," or the 
whole human race. In John xvii : 9, where 
Jesus' prayer is recorded, he says, "I pray not 
for the world, but for them which thou hast given 
me." Here that part of mankind not included in 
the number which had been given to Christ, is 
meant. The word is often used in one or the 
other of these ways. But it is evident this is not 
the meaning of " world " in the passage we are 
considering. For God the Father is represented 
as so loving this "world" as to give His only be- 
gotten Son to die for their salvation. And it 
surely cannot be wrong to love what God loves. 
God's children not only may, but must, love their 
fellowmen, not merely their neighbors and friends, 
but their enemies also. 

The love of God in the heart produces un- 
feigned love toward all men. This, then, is not 
the world we are forbidden to love. It is not the 
earth or planet on which we live which we are 



6o CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

forbidden to love, as that is not the " kosmos." 
The Greek word for the earth is '' ge,'' from which 
''geography," "geology," and such words are de- 
rived. Besides Satan is said to be the god of this 
world, but Jehovah is the God of the whole earth. 
It is not then, mankind, nor yet the unbelieving 
part of mankind, nor the earth or globe on which 
we live that we are forbidden to love. We must 
look still further for the "world" of the text. 
Some suppose it to mean money, "filthy lucre," 
as it is called in Scripture. The love of money 
is most certainly forbidden, but money is not the 
'' kosmos!' It belongs to it, no doubt, but is only 
a small part of it. The world, in the meaning of 
the text, is a system of things, as the original 
Greek word signifies. It is a system which God 
hates, because it is in opposition to His arrange- 
ment, and is intended to supplant the Divine order 
of things on the earth. As Satan, the "adversary 
of God and man," is said to be the god of this 
world-system, he is no doubt the author of it. In 
the Scriptures this fallen archangel is represented 
as being the seducer of men from their, allegiance 
to God. He successfully assaulted the first human 
pair in paradise, and alienated them from God. 
After the fall of man, God gave him. a simple form 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 6i 

of government and a religion. It is the work of 
Satan when man is drawn from allegiance to God, 
to give him a system of things in the place of 
God's arrangement for him. Mankind has certain 
necessities and requirements that must be supplied 
from some source; and if man will not accept God's 
plan, he must have some other in its place. The 
world system is the result, therefore, of apostasy 
from God. It takes the place of that which God 
has provided, or would provide if man would con- 
sent. It is true that Satan has no power to hold 
dominion over mankind, except by Divine permis- 
sion. His power is limited and circumscribed. 
But inside those limits he has a free hand, and 
executes his will. In his rage against God and 
his malice toward man, he seeks to ravage and 
destroy. The Almighty permits him for a while 
to triumph that His own wise and beneficent pur- 
poses may be accomplished. Satan, in spite of 
his malice, is but an instrument in God's hands, 
to secure good ends. And when those ends shall 
be secured, Satan's power will be overthrown and 
his liberty be taken away, and we are told he will 
be confined in a place of punishment prepared for 
him and his angels. Evil shall not always triumph, 
though it seems to be so firmly established on the 



62 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

earth. This system of evil, originating in human 
apostasy, and formed in antagonism to the Divine 
order, is the " world " which we are forbidden to 
love. I have heretofore spoken of it as a whole ; 
I shall now try to analyze it into its parts. It is 
intended to be adapted to human needs. 

In the first place I will speak of man's need of 
civil government. Since this matter has been 
spoken of in the preceding discourse, I will not 
repeat at length what is there said, but refer the 
reader to that discourse for information on mat- 
ters omitted here. God gave man a form of civil 
government, namely the patriarchal, but man not 
being satisfied with God's order, instigated by 
Satan, rebelled against God's plan, and substituted 
other forms to suit himself. These rebellious gov- 
ernments continue unto the present day. I will 
speak of one characteristic of the world system, 
in which it differs from the Divine system all the 
way through. In God's system we have always 
unity, in the world system we find diversity. God 
provided but one form of civil government for the 
whole human family: the patriarchal, or govern- 
ment by a father. God made the family; man 
made the state. God '* setteth the solitary in fam- 
ilies." This one form of government is equally 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 6;^ 

applicable to all conditions and times; to all 
stages of culture and civilization. It is the foun- 
dation with which no form of government devised 
by man has been able, entirely, to dispense. And 
when socialism shall dispense with the family and 
its government, and shall give to the state that 
authority which God has given to the father, then 
anarchy and chaos, the absence of all government, 
shall quickly follow. Just in proportion as man- 
kind approaches that denial of parental authority, 
in that proportion do they weaken all government. 
Under those empires which are represented by 
God as being the best governments, 'the authority 
of the parent was absolute. The father had the 
power of life and death over his children. As 
this authority is restricted, parental responsibility 
is lessened, family government is weakened, respect 
for all authority is in consequence destroyed, and 
criminals are multiplied. The weakening of family 
ties is one of the strongest proofs of present de- 
generacy, and is a portent of future disaster. Not 
only is filial piety wanting in children, but wifely 
submission to the authority of the husband is at 
a discount, God's order in the family is set at 
naught, and the direful results of family disinte- 
gration will soon be painfully felt. Not only are 



64 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

God's written statutes being disregarded, but the 
law of nature written in the instincts of humanity 
is being set at naught, and I repeat, when God's 
order in the family shall be completely overthrown, 
then all human government will become impossi- 
ble. God's plan is unity. But man, through the 
instigation of Satan, throwing off God's authority, 
has invented various forms of government in the 
world. The first form was an absolute monarchy, 
a despotism, in which the life and property of the 
subject was at the disposal of the sovereign. Then 
afterward was invented an aristocracy, in which a 
few ruled the many. 

The word means a government by the best 
persons. ^lany of those governed were slaves. 
The ancient republics were mostly aristocracies ; 
there was but little power exercised by the com- 
mon people. There were also republics, as those 
of Greece and Rome. There were a few pure 
democracies, but these were necessarily small 
states. Then we have limited monarchies, mon- 
archies and aristocracies combined, and repre- 
sentative republics like the government of the 
United States. Some people imagine that God is 
peculiarly favorable to one form or another, but all 
of them are equally parts of the Great World system 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 65 

of apostasy. Satan has an assortment of forms 
of governments and you can take your choice. If 
men do not hke the existing form, they can change 
it for another more to their Hking. Satan has not 
the wisdom to devise any one form of government 
suitable to all times and conditions. So he must 
provide a variety. As those under his influence 
are destitute of contentment and soul rest, they 
must have variety to occupy and amuse them. The 
restless souls of men full of unholy ambition must 
be stimulated by hope of preferment, of honors, 
of the emoluments of ofhce, of stars and garters, 
of titles of nobility. Under the form of govern- 
ment which God ordained, there was no vain pomp 
and glory. In the world system, on the other 
hand, there is everything to stimulate vanity and 
pride, the love of pomp and the love of power. 
It is the work of a lifetime to mount, step by step, 
to the pinnacle of power and honor, and no time 
is left the devotee to think seriously about any 
other w^orld. All these things are cunningly de- 
vised by Satan to entrap men and hold them in 
his power. Their eyes are perpetually dazzled by 
the glittering bauble just beyond their reach, and 
they are kept striving to grasp it. Is it conceiva- 
ble that God could be the author of a system 
c.c— 5 



66 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

which offers such incentives to worldly ambition 
and the lust for power? But, it may be asked, is 
not ambition for worldly honors laudable? In the 
world system it is, but those things which are 
highly esteemed among men are abomination in 
the sight of God. To the spectator they may ap- 
pear to be something noble or praiseworthy, but 
to those who are behind the scenes, who are cog- 
nizant of the envy, the jealousy, the selfishness, 
the hatred, the heart burnings, of these aspirants 
after worldly honors, nothing noble or laudable is 
seen. It is a selfish squabble in which the noblest 
instincts of human nature are disregarded or tram- 
pled upon. Love and unselfishness and magnanim- 
ity are always ennobling; their opposites are 
debasing and degrading. These offices and honors 
so eagerly sought after belong to this present evil 
world, which the child of God cannot love. If 
any man love these things, if he covet them in any 
degree, the love of the Father is not in him. 

Man has been described as a religious animal. 
To worship a higher power is natural to him. His 
Creator is the proper object of his reverence and 
worship. This was natural to him in his state of 
innocence and hoHness. After the apostasy in 
Eden he was taught the worship of the true God, 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 67 

and religious forms and observances were given to 
him. But when he was seduced from his fidehty 
to God, some other rehgion must be furnished 
him. This took the form of idolatry, which the 
Apostle Paul declares to be demon worship. I Cor. 
X : 20, " But I say that the things which the 
Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not 
to God." Satan, therefore, under the idolatrous 
forms of worship, substituted himself or his angels 
as the objects of the worship of mankind. But 
he did not set up one false god in the place of 
the one true God, but gave them a great variety 
of gods. Each tribe and nation had its own 
pecuhar deities. These they endeavored to exalt 
above the gods of other nations as being more 
powerful, and therefore more worthy of adoration. 
When they were successful in war they gave the 
praise to their gods. These false gods were rep- 
resented by images or idols, often under the forms 
of various animals, and at other times of hideous 
forms purely imaginary. These idolatrous religions 
were under the protection of the state and were 
supported by the government. The priests were 
persons of the highest importance and had much 
authority in peace and war. No great under- 
taking was begun, except under religious sanction. 



68 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

As countries were conquered, the worship of the 
gods of the conqueror was introduced into subject 
nations, and thus idolatrous forms became inter- 
national. Rome was particularly liberal in this 
matter. She tolerated all idolatrous forms and 
cults, though having a state religion of her own. 
She tolerated even Judaism for a long time, until 
the Emperor Claudius banished the Jews from 
Rome. As a result of this toleration the gods 
became so multiplied that idolatry became burden- 
some. We are told there were thirty thousand 
gods in Athens, and the government denounced 
death against the man who should introduce a new 
god. This law was invoked against the Apostle 
Paul when he preached Christ in Athens, and he 
escaped condemnation by claiming that an altar 
had already been erected to the God he preached, 
for he had seen an altar to the unknown God, 
which had been erected to propitiate any deity 
which they might have overlooked, and Paul 
claimed that the God unknown to them was the 
one he was preaching. Under Satan's arrange- 
ment there was no need of any one being godless, 
as the assortment of deities was so large that he 
must have been a very hard man to please who 
could not find one to his taste. Some of these 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 69 

gods claimed prophetic powers and had oracles, 
where the future could be unfolded, it was claimed. 
The oracle of Apollo at Delphi was perhaps the 
most noted. The priestess would go into a kind 
of trance or frenzy, somewhat resembling the mes- 
meric condition of modern spirituahsm, pretending 
to be possessed by the god during the deliverance 
of the prophecy. These prophecies were delivered 
in such enigmatic and ambiguous language, that 
they were capable of more than one interpretation, 
and could be made to fit the event however mat- 
ters turned out. The devil may be good at guess- 
ing, but he cannot penetrate the future. 

When Christianity was introduced, Satan fought 
its advance with every weapon at his command. 
For three hundred years the conflict raged and 
thousands of martyrs sealed their testimony with 
their blood. At last they triumphed over the great 
red dragon of pagan idolatry, and Christianity be- 
came the recognized religion of the Roman empire. 
"They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, 
and by the word of their testimony ; and they loved 
not their lives unto the death." Paganism and 
idolatry were overthrown and Satan suffered a dis- 
astrous defeat. But if he could not destroy Chris- 
tianity, he could corrupt it, and he began this 



70 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

work in earnest. I do not mean that he had done 
nothing in this direction hitherto. But the perse- 
cutions which Christians endured tended to thwart 
his efforts. It was difficult for him to persecute 
and corrupt at the same time. Though many cor- 
ruptions had crept in among God's people, the 
essential spirit of Christianity had been preserved, 
and a sufficient number had been kept faithful to 
give them victory over their enemy. Now Satan 
bent all his energies to corrupt and pervert what 
he could not overthrow by force. The position of 
the church was favorable to his designs. Prosper- 
ity was more dangerous than adversity to the 
church of Christ. All those evils which had crept 
in among them were nurtured and stimulated by 
the favor of the government, and the power and 
riches jvhich fell into the possession of the Chris- 
tians. A disposition to value externals, a tendency 
to compromise with the world, was soon seen. 
The Bishops, from being the most bitterly perse- 
cuted of all the flock, now became the most highly 
honored. Pride and avarice, those deadly sins, 
quickly gained a foothold among them. The love 
of power, a disposition to lord it over God's her- 
itage, developed. Uncharitableness and bigotry 
manifested themselves, and set them heresy hunt- 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 71 

ing. The first creed was soon made, and perse- 
cution of their brethren, who differed with them 
in opinion, was begun. The descent once begun 
was swift and sure. Dead formahsm soon usurped 
the place of spirituaHty. A cumbrous and oppres- 
sive ecclesiasticism soon took the place of that 
simple government given by the Master. Strife 
and division displaced unity and peace. Monasti- 
cism was developed as a hope of refuge from this 
dominant worldliness. The worship of images was 
sanctioned, and soon the church slid into the cor- 
ruption and darkness of the Middle Ages. Popery 
fastened itself upon the church in the Western 
empire, and that in the Eastern was almost sub- 
merged by the inroads of the Moslems. Under 
the intellectual and religious awakening of the six- 
teenth and seventeenth centuries, Christendom be- 
came divided into many warring sects. The forces 
tending toward disintegration seemed to have the 
supremacy, and contention and strife were the order 
of the day. During the nineteenth century this 
tendency seems to have spent itself, and the pendu- 
lum is swinging in the opposite direction. A pure 
Christianity has been wholly corrupted, so that 
scarcely one of its original features remains. The 



72 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

religious sects of the present day are worldly 
organizations, fully in harmony with the world sys- 
tem. It is often remarked that the line of de- 
markation between the church and the world is 
obliterated. So far as the nominal church is con- 
cerned, this is obviously true. The apostate church 
is in the world, and the world is in the apostate 
church. The separation between the true church 
and the world is as complete as it ever was. 

It is still true of God's people, that they are 
not of the world, but chosen out of it. These 
apostate sects have become guilty of the sin of the 
Israelites at Sanai. They made a golden calf, in 
imitation of the Egyptian god Apis, and worshiped 
it, but called it Jehovah. So the object of wor- 
ship in these false churches is no more the God 
of the Bible than the golden calf was Jehovah ; 
yet they also profess to worship Jehovah. They 
are in full sympathy with the system of evil exist- 
ing on earth, and are a part of it, and shall perish 
when the world system perishes. God has but one 
church and one religion. " There is one body, 
and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope 
of your calling." — Eph. iv : 4. These contending 
sects are many bodies and many spirits. Here we 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 73 

see again the difference between God's order and 
the order of Satan. One is unity, the other variety. 
It may seem severe to make such a charge against 
organizations so highly esteemed among men, as to 
ascribe them to satanic influence, but the Scriptures 
bear me out in the charge. James says, *'But if 
ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, 
glory not, and lie not against the truth. This 
wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, 
sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, 
there is confusion and every evil work." — James iii : 
14-16. That this envying and strife is found not 
only between these sects, but in them, is a patent 
fact. But a religion consistent with the existence 
of these things does not come from God, but 
is earthly, sensual, devilish. God has but one 
religion and one church, and he brings men 
into harmony with that one religion and with that 
church. Satan, on the other hand, must accom- 
modate his rehgion to the individual tastes and 
preferences of his devotees. Hence the necessity 
of variety ; and hence the reason why his ministers 
defend that variety. Christ was rejected because 
He could not be made to fit into this system, and 
His people are rejected for the same reason. He 
was a stone which the builders rejected, as unfitted 



72 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

religious sects of the present day are worldly 
organizations, fully in harmony with the world sys- 
tem. It is often remarked that the ' line of de- 
markation between the church and the world is 
obliterated. So far as the nominal church is con- 
cerned, this is obviously true. The apostate church 
is in the world, and the world is in the apostate 
church. The separation between the true church 
and the world is as complete as it ever was. 

It is still true of God's people, that they are 
not of the world, but chosen out of it. These 
apostate sects have become guilty of the sin of the 
Israelites at Sanai. They made a golden calf, in 
imitation of the Egyptian god Apis, and worshiped 
it, but called it Jehovah. So the object of wor- 
ship in these false churches is no more the God 
of the Bible than the golden calf was Jehovah ; 
yet they also profess to worship Jehovah. They 
are in full sympathy with the system oi evil exist- 
ing on earth, and are a part of it, and shall perish 
when the world system perishes. God has but one 
church and one religion. " There is one body, 
and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope 
of your caUing." — Eph. iv : 4. These contending 
sects are many bodies and many spirits. Here we 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 73 

see again the difference between God's order and 
the order of Satan. One is unity, the other variety. 
It may seem severe to make such a charge against 
organizations so highly esteemed among men, as to 
ascribe them to satanic influence, but the Scriptures 
bear me out in the charge. James says, "But if 
ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, 
glory not, and lie not against the truth. This 
wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, 
sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, 
there is confusion and every evil work." — James iii : 
14-16. That this envying and strife is found not 
only between these sects, but in them, is a patent 
fact. But a religion consistent with the existence 
of these things does not come from God, but 
is earthly, sensual, devilish. God has but one 
religion and one church, and he brings men 
into harmony with that one religion and with that 
church. Satan, on the other hand, must accom- 
modate his religion to the individual tastes and 
preferences of his devotees. Hence the necessity 
of variety ; and hence the reason why his ministers 
defend that variety. Christ was rejected because 
He could not be made to fit into this system, and 
His people are rejected for the same reason. He 
was a stone which the builders rejected, as unfitted 



74 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

for their building, as no doubt He was. The poet 
Watts wrote : — 

"The foolish builders, scribe and priest. 
Reject it with disdain." 

They were not foolish for rejecting this stone, 
as unfitted for their building, but for having a 
building in which the stone would not fit. So of 
the builders of to-day. They are not unwise for 
rejecting God's people as not proper for their 
building, but in building that which shall be de- 
stroyed with the evil world. The church of Jesus 
Christ will stand forever. The fires of the last day 
will not reach it. It is the spiritual body of 
Christ and is not affected by change of dispensa- 
tions. We receive a kingdom which cannot be 
moved. We conclude that the popular religion 
and the churches which fit into the world system 
belong to this world which we are forbidden to 
love. 

Man is a social being. His Creator declared 
that it was not good for him to be alone. A 
state of solitude is not promotive of health of body 
or sanity of mind. So God gave the first man a 
companion. These social instincts incline mankind 
to congregate in communities. They love the 
society of their fellows. As God is the author of 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 75 

the gregarious instinct in man, He also has an ideal 
of human society. When men live up to this ideal 
they are in God's order. God's ideal of human 
society is that it is composed of a community of 
equals. Not, of course, equals in all particulars, 
but equals in rights and privileges, and equals in 
station, so that no one is high and another low, 
no one honorable and another despicable. In God's 
order there are no social strata, no grades or 
castes ; no classes. Jesus gives the Divine ideal of 
society in Matt, xxiii : 8, "For one is your 
Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren." And 
again in Mark x : 42-44, "Ye know that they 
which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles ex- 
ercise lordship over them ; and their great ones 
exercise authority upon them. But so it shall not 
be among you : but whosoever will be great among 
you, shall be your minister; and whosoever of you 
will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all." In 
James i : 9, 10, we read: "Let the brother of low 
degree rejoice in that he is exalted : but the rich 
in that he is made low." The result at Pentecost 
shows God's plan of social order. Jews out of 
many nations were congregated at Jerusalem. They 
were of various classes and conditions, some rich, 
some poor, but under the influence of the gospel 



76 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

they were converted into a community of equals ; 
brethren and sisters in Christ. They so fully real- 
ized their community of interests, that the distinc- 
tions of mine and thine were forgotten, and no one 
claimed exclusive ownership in anything. ''And 
all that believed were together, and had all things 
common ; and sold their possessions and goods, 
and parted them to all men, as every man had 
need." — Acts ii : 44, 45. "Neither was there any 
among them that lacked : for as many as were 
possessors of lands or houses sold them, and 
brought the prices of the things that were sold, 
and laid them down at the apostles' feet: and dis- 
tribution was made unto every man according as 
he had need." — Acts iv : 34, 35. Here we see a 
society organized and arranged according to God's 
ideal. In it there was no high, no low, no rich, 
no poor. It was a Christian socialism, where all 
were on an equality. Worldly wisdom can find a 
thousand objections to such a community. Its 
principles and conduct were contrary to all the 
dictates of worldly prudence. What a disregard 
of the future was shown in the sale and distribution 
of property ! What a contempt for worldly pos- 
sessions ! Yet all this was a direct effect of the 
love of God in the hearts of men, shed abroad 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 77 

there by the Holy Spirit. Men dream to-day of 
bringing about such a state of equahty by poHtical 
means. All are to be compelled to surrender the 
rights of possession, whether willing or unwilling. 
It is no doubt an ideal state of society, where 
there is no want, no juxtaposition of vaunting 
wealth and grinding poverty. Where they that 
gather much have nothing over, and they that 
gather little have no lack. But in the present state 
of mankind full of covetousness and uncharitable- 
ness, of love for self and hatred for others, it is 
wholly an impracticable, Utopian dream. But one 
state of society makes it practicable ; and that is 
where each heart is moved by love to God and 
love of its neighbor. In the Church of Jesus 
Christ this state of society exists ; and though the 
possessions of real Christians may not be actually 
thrown into a common fund, yet each individual 
member of Christ's body holds his property sub- 
ject to the demands and necessities of the whole. 
The apostolic church, the one having true apostolic 
succession, is the church which possesses the 
apostolic love of the brethren. All others are but 
pretenders and frauds. Here is God's ideal of 
human society, where the man who is ambitious 
of a high place seeks it by becoming the servant 



78 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

of all. Here is no room for envy and jealousy; 
for love of power and preferment, since there are 
no rich to be envied, nor no poor to be despised. 
What a blessed society! "A pure believing mul- 
titude." What a foretaste of the joys of heaven 
can be realized in such a community. 

In the world system society is organized on 
quite a different plan. It is composed of classes, 
of grades, of various strata, from lowest to highest. 
At the bottom is the " submerged," the criminal 
class; then the pauper, the tramp, the outcast. 
Among these is found the common laborer, v\-ho 
lives from hand to mouth; then the mechanic, the 
artisan, the skilled laborer ; then the free-holder 
and the man of trade, of commerce ; then the pro- 
fessional man, etc., etc., until we reach the top of 
the ladder, the exclusives of what is called the 
best society. In monarchical countries there are 
the nobility and those of royal lineage. The object 
of such a division is to give room for the activity 
of the unholy passions and propensities of human 
nature. It cultivates envy and hatred on the one 
hand, and pride, self-love, and overweening vanit}^ 
on the other hand. Such society holds up many 
glittering prizes to be gained by those who seek 
after them. And as the possession of money is 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 79 

almost essential to success in society, the scramble 
after riches is quite universal. Each one is striv- 
ing to reach the station just above him, and is 
ready to rise to success built upon the failure 
of his neighbor. It is amazing what eagerness is 
shown for recognition in society^ and then what 
ambition to be considered a leader of fashion is 
manifested. What hopes deferred, what disap- 
pointments, what chagrin, what heart-burnings are 
experienced by these devotees of society and fash- 
ion. They are ready to part with everything that 
should be dear to them in this world and the next, 
that they may shine for a little brief hour as a 
society favorite. How artfully is all this contrived 
to prevent these simple ones from remembering 
that they have souls. What devilish ingenuity 
and cunning are manifested in the organization of 
worldly society ! And yet how trifling are the 
prizes in this lottery ! Notwithstanding all this 
many of these slaves of fashionable society profess 
to be Christians. They belong to the most fash- 
ionable churches. A fashionable church ! What 
a solecism ! What a contradiction ! How can 
such persons possibly be imitators of the despised 
Nazarene, who was an outcast from society ! 



8o CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

We must be convinced from what has been 
said that worldly politics, worldly religion, and 
worldly society, all harmonize, and form parts of 
one great whole, the world system of which Satan 
is the author. There are other wheels in this or- 
ganism, but enough has been described to enable 
the wise to recognize it. It is opposed to the 
God of the Bible. Satan is its god, and it is he 
whom they worship under various names and 
forms. He transforms himself in appearance into 
an angel of light, we are told, and mankind are 
deceived by him, and imagine that he is God. 
His attributes and character suit them much better 
than the attributes of Jehovah. He accommodates 
himself to their propensities and their lusts. He 
encourages them in their love of pomp and carnal 
display; "the vain pomp and glory of this world." 
He is willing to be the tutelary deity of warring 
states, filled with hatred and envy of their neigh- 
bors. It is to him they pray for success in war, 
and to him they sing te deinns when victory 
perches upon their banners. He is wiUing to ac- 
cept costly temples of granite and manble, built by 
the rich with money wrung from the sweat and 
toil of the poor. The God of the Bible 'Mwelleth 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 8 1 

not in temples made with hands," nor is He "wor- 
shiped with men's hands, as though he needed 
anything." — Acts xvii : 24, 25. Such a God seems 
to be almost as much an unknown God here and 
now as He was in pagan Athens more than 
eighteen hundred years ago. Satan is worshiped 
as the goddess of fashion nearly eleven months in 
the year, and then for forty days his worshipers 
give themselves up to sham mortifications of the 
flesh, which self-denial but adds a zest to their 
enjoyment of fashionable follies when it is over, 
and they can blossom out in new Easter bonnets. 
The world system is so obnoxious to God that 
even friendship for it is declared to be enmity 
against God. (James iv : 4.) It is this world God's 
people are chosen out of when they are translated 
into the kingdom of God's dear Son. It hated 
Christ and it will hate His people. If any man 
love this world system, the love of the Father is 
not in him. 

Second. Having shown what the wor^ is which 

Christians are not to love, I shall endeavor to show, 

second, what are the things that are in the world. 

The Scripture reads, I John ii : 16, **For all that 

is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust 
c.c. — 6 



82 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

of the eyes, and the pride of Ufe, is not of the 
Father, but is of the world." There are three 
things given here as comprehending all that is in 
the world : the lust of the flesh, the lust of the 
eyes, and the pride of life. They will be consid- 
ered in the order given in the text. 

First. The lust of the flesh. This is explained 
by Mr. Wesley to mean anything which strikes or 
gratifies the outward senses. The indulgence of 
these desires tends to make men sensual. It may 
be proper to state here that the word "lust" is 
not used in the Scriptures in a bad sense, only, as 
it usually is at present. Men generally use the 
word now to mean an evil desire. In the Scrip- 
tures it is used to represent any desire whether 
good or evil. Thus it is said "The flesh lusteth 
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh." 
— Gal. v: 17. By the lusts of the flesh, the nat- 
ural appetites of the body are not meant, as these 
are of the Father, or, in other words, God gave 
man these appetites when He created him, and 
they cannot be evil in themselves. Not one nat- 
ural appetite or desire is in itself evil. When 
found in their normal state as God gave them, 
they are good, pure, and holy. It is true that in 
man's fallen state, they are seldom or never found 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 83 

in a normal condition. Sinful indulgence has cor- 
rupted the race, and we inherit from our ancestors 
abnormal and unnatural appetites. Those appe- 
tites which God made good, and which are neces- 
sary to the perpetuation and preservation of 
mankind, have been so stimulated and perverted by 
sin that they become a source of continual temp- 
tation to evil. Man should eat to live, while too 
many rather live to eat. The means becomes the 
end of life. The notion that a state of celibacy" 
is peculiarly favorable to spirituality, an idea fos- 
tered by the Romish church, is a reflection on 
either the wisdom or goodness of God, who insti- 
tuted the conjugal relation. It is not true, and is 
put among the indications of apostasy by the 
Apostle Paul in I Tim. iv: 3, ''Forbidding to marry, 
and commanding to abstain from meats, which 
God has created to be received with thanksgiving 
of them which believe and know the truth." But 
while the natural appetites are not unholy and 
therefore do not belong to the world, and while a 
temperate and lawful indulgence of those appetites 
is not incompatible with fidelity to God, the un- 
lawful and excessive indulgence of these appetites 
is incompatible with holy living. God graciously 
connected a pleasurable sensation with the gratifi- 



84 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

cation of the natural appetites, both because He 
is pleased to give His creatures pleasure on the one 
hand, and to insure that these necessary matters 
should not be neglected. For the same reasons 
excessiv^e abstinence causes inconvenience and pain. 
But when men pervert the gift of God, and make 
the pleasures of sense the great aim and end of 
existence, then they exhibit the lusts of the flesh 
as spoken of in the text. Gluttony is as great an 
evil as drunkenness, and probably still more com- 
mon. It is no doubt the cause of many more 
deaths, and much more suffering than excessive 
drinking. It is just as strongly reprobated in God,s 
word, and Christians are as emphatically warned 
against it. Yet how little is said about it by the 
moral reformers of the day. Xo doubt many of 
those who are so noisy in their condemnation of 
the drunkard, and in their efforts to reform him, 
are themselves guilty of as great a sin against 
God, and as great a crime against their own bodies 
as is the drunkard himself, in that they indulge in 
overeating and surfeiting, because of the sensual 
pleasures experienced. ]Much of modern cookery 
is intended to stimulate appetites already too dififi- 
cult to control, and to tempt their possessors to 
still greater excesses. Highly seasoned and inor- 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 85 

dinately rich foods tend to create an appetite for 
alcoholic stimulants. The rebuke which our Savior 
administered to Martha, who was anxious to set a 
good table for His gratification, would well be 
heeded by her modern imitators. Feasting and 
revelry gratify the lusts of the flesh and belong to 
the world which is not of the Father. Drunken- 
ness is also a lust of the flesh, and is so plainly 
forbidden in the Scriptures, and so generally recog- 
nized as an evil, that it is sufficient but to mention 
it. The desire for intoxicants seems to be almost 
universal in depraved human nature, so that nearly 
all nations have invented some means of produc- 
ing alcohoHc drinks. Yet I do not think the ap- 
petite is natural, but abnormal and depraved. There 
are other appetites which are manifestly artificial, 
such as the desire for tobacco. At first nature 
revolts at this poison, but after a while the body 
is taught not only to tolerate it, but, through its 
depraving effect on the nervous system, it is in- 
sistently demanded. This being an artificial and 
acquired appetite, it evidently is not of the Father, 
and so must belong to the lusts of the flesh which 
are of the world. The habit enslaves its victim 
so that he finds it exceedingly difficult to break 
his chains. Can it be possible that one of Christ's 



86 • CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

free people can be a slave of an unnatural and 
vicious habit ? I cannot believe it. The man who 
cherishes this filthy habit loves that which belongs 
to the world, and hence the love of the Father is 
not in him. Any acquired habit which enthralls 
its possessor is an evil which is not of the Father, 
and hence should be mortified and abandoned as 
not being consistent with fidelity to God. 

The sexual appetites and instincts in their 
normal state as given by the Creator are as proper 
and innocent as any of the other desires of the 
body. But, unfortunately, they are seldom found 
at present in their normal condition. Sinful in- 
dulgence through many generations has so changed, 
stimulated, and distorted them, that incontinence 
is the rule with few exceptions. Where this pas- 
sion has not been sinfully indulged, at least the im- 
agination has been polluted, which paves the way for 
sinful conduct. The present condition of the race, 
so far as this appetite is concerned, is deplorable. 
The fashions and customs of the world are arranged 
to stimulate passions already naturally inflamed, so 
that he is greatly to be congratulated who con- 
tinues virtuous throughout his whole life. As this 
appetite can scarcely be found as it came from 
God, it is in almost every instance a lust of the 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 87 

flesh, wMch is not of the Father. The exceptions 
are those who have submitted themselves to God, 
and have received grace and power from Him 
which enables them to keep under their bodieS; 
with all their appetites and propensities, so that 
they are under their control, and subject to God's 
law. In such alone the natural appetites are not 
the lusts of the flesh which are in the world. 

Covetousness is another desire of the flesh. It 
is not a physical appetite, but belongs to this class 
of desires. Covetousness is a love of possession 
or money, which begets a desire to acquire the 
thing desired. This is the sense in which the word 
is generally used. In a larger sense, it is a desire 
to possess that which belongs to another> whatever 
that may be. This lust is constantly condemned 
in God's word. The covetous man is said to be 
an idolater having no inheritance in the King- 
dom of God. But covetousness is the motive 
power of the world system. Take it away and 
the system would fall to pieces. If every man was 
content with such things as he hath, the glittering 
baubles put up as prizes in the world lottery would 
lose all their value, and no one would strive after 
them. The existing civilization, called a Christian 
civilization, is founded on covetousness, and could 



90 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be 
named among you, as becometh saints." — Eph. v: 3. 
" For the love of money is the root of all evil : which 
some having coveted after, they have erred from 
the faith, and have pierced themselves through 
with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee 
these things; and follow after righteousness, godh- 
ness, faith, love, patience, meekness." — I Tim. v: 
10, II. These fleshly desires for other things choke 
the Word and make it unfruitful. They are thorns 
and briars which must be torn out by the roots, 
that the people of God may have any growth in 
the graces of the Spirit. They must desire noth- 
ing but God, and that His will may be done 
in earth as in heaven. Unless the eye is thus 
single, the whole body will be full of darkness in- 
stead of light. The importance of being delivered 
from covetousness cannot be exaggerated. Mr. 
Wesley has truly said that the only attention paid 
by professed Christians in general to Christ's in- 
junction against laying up treasure on earth is to 
break it as soon and as often as they can, and to 
continue breaking it to the end of Hfe. Such men 
love the world, and are consequently destitute of 
the love of God. Christians need to beware of this 
sin, as it will steal upon them insensibly if they 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 91 

are not on their guard, and watching against it. 
Everything about them would incline them to ex- 
aggerate the value of earthly things. These things 
of sense appeal so constantly to us, that unless our 
eyes are continually fixed upon the things which 
are not seen, which are eternal, the love of them 
will fasten upon our hearts. How little is this 
danger realized ! O that you and I may be en- 
abled to trample these things, that is, the desire 
for them, under our feet; that all our aspirations 
may be toward God, and all our longings may be 
for those things that are incorruptible and eternal. 
May we imitate the example of John Fletcher, 
who, when King George III. asked him what ecclesi- 
astical preferment he would choose, replied, '' I 
want nothing but more grace." So shall we es- 
cape the ruinous effects of concupiscence, and shall 
stand before the Son of man. 

Second. The lusts of the eye are next men- 
tioned among the things that are in the world. 
These desires include all those things which appeal 
to the imagination through the sense of sight; 
things beautiful and splendid. It is recognized 
that natural beauties have no demoralizing effect 
upon the beholder, but rather the contrary. The 
beautiful landscape, the towering mountain, the 



92 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Stupendous cataract, inspire admiration and awe, 
but do not awaken pride or vanity. But that 
which is the work of man, which is artificial and 
not natural, has a quite different effect. Man's ef- 
fort is to imitate nature, and thus the arts of paint- 
ing and sculpture originated. Architecture, though 
not an imitation of nature, is also one of the fine 
arts, as is also landscape gardening. The produc- 
tions of artists appeal to the eye, to the imagi- 
nation, to the love of the beautiful and the sublime. 
While I recognize the fact that these arts are 
generally supposed to be valuable as educators, 
that they tend toward culture and refinement, that 
they develop the esthetic instincts, and while I 
know that to condemn them is to fly in the face 
of Christendom, yet I find them classed by the 
Apostle among the worldly lusts which are not of 
the Father, and I unhesitatingly take the same 
side of the question. To delight in these things 
does not bring men toward God, but the contrary. 
These arts originated, and were carried to their 
highest perfection, among pagans. It is true that 
the professed Christian church has seized upon 
these pagan arts to strengthen its power over the 
minds of men, but the effect has not been in- 
creased spirituality, but the contrary. Where- 



THE LOVE OP THE WORLD 93 

ever these fine arts are most valued and cherished, 
there spirituality is most evidently absent. No 
man of sense would go to the marble palace, 
called a church, where architects have displayed 
their highest skill, where the loud-toned organ and 
the surpliced choir chant God's praises, where fash- 
ion and luxury are stamped upon each worshiper, 
to find those who worship God in spirit and in truth. 
The religion of Christ is a simple religion, and every 
thing that detracts from simplicity tends to corrupt 
it. It is true that these fine arts have little effect 
upon the common people. They appeal principally 
to the rich and educated and those having leisure. 
To collect fine paintings of the old masters, statuary 
and articles of vertn, to display them for the 
delectation and envy of their friends and acquaint- 
ances, affords employment for the rich man of 
leisure, and keeps him from thinking of serious 
things. These things are a part of the vain pomp 
and glory of this world which are foreign to the 
Kingdom of Jesus Christ. The desire for things 
new and fine in furniture, equipage, dress, etc., is 
also a lust of the eye. The desire to live in a fine 
house, and to own costly furniture, to wear fine 
and fashionable dress, to put on outward adorning 
of gold and pearls and costly array, all these belong 



94 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

to the lust of the eye which are not of the Father. 
All these desires dwell in the natural heart of man. 
He loves and values these things, and esteems him- 
self more highly because of them. They appeal to 
his natural pride and vanity and love of display. 
The love of these things not only springs from vanity 
and pride, but they feed and increase those unholy 
affections. The Christian cannot desire these 
things ; they can add nothing to his happiness and 
he has no delight in them. Among worldly people, 
there is a constant rivalry over these matters ; each 
one is desirous of surpassing all the others in 
the grandeur and beauty of his house, or furniture, 
or apparel ; and nothing so gratifies his vanity as to 
feel that he excites the envy of his associates. No 
such a feeling can dwell in the heart of a child of 
God. He can have no desire to surpass others 
in appearing grand or fashionable or fine. He 
obeys the injunction of the Apostle to mind not high 
things, but to be content with common things. So 
Dr. Clarke translates the passage and such is the 
marginal reading of Rom. xii : i6. It would be a 
shame to him to appear finer or grander than others. 
Common things are good enough for the man who 
is the follower and imitator of the lowly Naza- 
rene. He may have things comfortable and con- 



THE LOVE OP THE WORLD 95 

venient if the means are provided for these things, 
but at all events his life is not in such things. He 
is a pilgrim and sojourner and can rough it, as it 
is but for a little season. He will find his perma- 
nent home after while. The Christian has no de- 
sire for adorning his person with fashionable or gay 
apparel. His feeHngs agree with the injunctions 
of the Scripture in this matter. ''Whose adorning 
let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the 
hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of 
apparel ; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, 
in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament 
of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of 
God of great price." — i Pet. iii:3, 4. "In like 
manner also, that women adorn themselves in 
modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; 
not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly 
array ; but (which becometh women professing god- 
liness) with good works." — I Tim. ii : 9, 10. These 
gewgaws and trinkets which are so dear to the 
natural heart, especially the feminine heart, have 
no attractions for the nature sanctified by grace 
divine. These are worldly lusts, the lusts of the 
eye, and where they exist the love of God is un- 
doubtedly absent. It makes no difference though 
ten thousand worldly-wise men contradict and bias- 



96 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

pheme, though false prophets gloss over the truth 
or endeavor to explain it away, or boldly deny it, 
God's word will be found to be true in the end, and 
all who controvert it will t>e found liars. Men who 
falsely profess to be Christ's ministers will reason 
from analogy, that because God paints the rain- 
bow upon the storm cloud, and bestuds the heavens 
with stars, and sprinkles beautiful flowers over the 
fields and prairies, that therefore women should 
beautify themselves by every means within their 
power, by every art and device that human ingenuity 
can devise, and human vanity suggest. We are 
very liable to be mistaken in our conclusions drawn 
from analogy, and it seems to me to be unsafe when 
our conclusions contradict the plain teachings of 
Scripture. But what is God's word to such men 
anyway? It has no more authority with them than 
an old almanac. They are preaching to supply a 
demand. They know what people want and will 
pay for, and they furnish that to them, and verily 
they have their reward. If we have these desires 
of the eye, no matter whether we gratify them or 
not, we are not Christians. We may lack ability 
to gratify them, or we may be unwilling to do so, 
but there is no safety while the desires exist in us. 
I would not be so cruel as to wish to snatch these 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 97 

idols from those who so ardently love them. It 
is not worth our while to deny ourselves the grati- 
fications of these longings and stop at that. We 
would lose all our self-denial. We must have new 
hearts in which no worldly lusts are found. Then 
we can sing with Wesley: — 

"Let worldly minds the world pursue, 
It has no charms for me; 
Once I admired its trifles too, 
But grace has set me free." 

Third. The worldly lust last mentioned as 
among the things that are in the world is '^ the 
pride of life." This no doubt is a desire for those 
things which recommend us to the consideration of 
our fellowmen. It is the desire for a reputation, 
for the praise of men. It is natural to the fleshly 
heart to desire recognition, to be noticed, to be 
esteemed, honored. To be neglected, overlooked, 
forgotten, is gall and wormwood to self-love. We 
have no desire to be little and unknown, but the 
contrary. There is no one thing that stands in 
the way of the salvation of more persons than the 
love of the praise of men. To imitate Jesus, who 
made himself of no reputation, to such is the hard- 
est task of all. But this lust is selfish and ungodly, 
and must be surrendered when we forsake all that 
c.c. — 7 



98 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

we have in order to become Christ's disciples. 
Consider what an insult to God it must be for us to 
esteem the praise of men above His approval. It is 
not only insulting to Deity, but it is in the highest 
degree foolish and unreasonable. How little after 
all our fellowmen can do for us or against us. 
But all our interests for time and eternity are in 
God's hands. Is it not infinitely better to have a 
good conscience and the approval of God than to 
have all men speak well of us? The fear of the 
opinions of men is slavish and cowardly and un- 
worthy of a free agent, who must stand or fall for 
himself. The desire for the praise of men is there- 
fore a worldly desire and incompatible with the love 
of the Father. Jesus declares that it is a positive 
hindrance to faith. " How can ye believe which 
receive honor one of another, and seek not the 
honor that cometh from God only? " — John v : 44. 
The wish to be thought well of by others stands 
directly in the way of obedience to God. For 
though it is reputable to be thought religious, it is 
not reputable to obey God's commandments. The 
offense of the cross is not yet ceased. There is 
still scandal and reproach attaching to obedience to 
God. This reproach men are anxious to avoid. 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD 99 

They do not rejoice to have all manner of evil 
spoken of them for Christ's sake, but would gladly 
retain a good reputation among men, notwithstand- 
ing Jesus' declaration that those are cursed of whom 
all men speak well. They do not believe this. 
They prefer the company of the false prophets, 
who were spoken well of, than to be associated 
with the true prophets, who were persecuted. No 
man can desire the favor of God and the praise of 
men both at the same time. We must choose one 
or the other, as we cannot have both, though we 
may have neither. What efforts are made by 
worldly men and women to be recognized in soci- 
ety, to be respected and honored by their fellows. 
What hypocrisies are engendered, what endeavors 
to appear superior, that they may be thought 
wiser or more learned or richer or of more con- 
sequence, than. the facts warrant. What jealousy of 
equals and envy of superiors are manifested in this 
struggle for a place in society. From all these 
miseries the child of God is delivered. No feverish 
anxiety to be thought respectable disturbs his peace 
of mind. While he is careful to give no occasion 
to the adversary to speak reproachfully, that the 
name of Christ be not dishonored, he is otherwise 

careless of his reputation among men, and evil 

' L.ofC. 



loo CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

report and good report come alike to him. He ex- 
pects both in the service of the ^Master ; and the 
one does not depress, nor the other inflate him. 
The one important question with him is what will 
please God ; and that being settled, it is a matter 
of indifference to him, whether others are pleased 
or displeased. As he does not desire recognition 
in the world for himself, nor the honor or praise of 
men, neither does he desire these things for his 
children. He is too solicitous for their eternal 
interests to wish them jeopardized by worldly ap- 
plause or friendship. He knows that "if any man 
will be the friend of the world, he is the enemy of 
God," and he desires for his children only that the}- 
may be sincere disciples of the despised Christ. So he 
prays that they may be delivered from the temptations 
to worldliness. He has no worldly ambitions for 
them, no wish to see them attain to wealth or fame. 
The man who takes this stand of opposition to 
the world, and indifference to its opinions, and 
contempt for its honors, will find himself greath* 
helped by the world itself. It will actually become 
" a friend to grace to help him on to God." For 
it will become as indifferent to him as he is to it. 
It will become dead to him when he is dead to 
the world. The line of separation will become very 



THE LOVE OF THE WORLD loi 

distinct and marked. This will be a great help to 
him and tend to secure his safety. It will assist 
in answering his prayer: — 

" Never let the world break in ; 
Fix a mighty gulf between. 
Keep us little and unknown, 
Loved and prized by God alone." 

It is much safer for the Christian to have the 
world despise him than to have it trying to honor 
him. Its enmity is much to be preferred to its 
friendship. 

The world, then, is a great system of evil and 
apostasy from God, established on the earth by 
Satan, who is its god and lord. It is intended to 
supply man's wants, political, religious, and social. 
This system will be overthrown when Jesus comes. 
Meanwhile His people are chosen out of it, and 
are forbidden to love it. The things that are in 
the world are the lusts of the flesh, the lust of 
the eyes, and the pride of life. These worldly de- 
sires furnish the fuel, so to speak, which keeps the 
machinery of the system in motion. They take 
the place of love in the Divine plan. Take love 
out of God's system and it would come to a stand- 
still and fall to pieces. So the world system 



I02 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

without these lusts would have nothing to keep it 
going, and must fall by its own weight. 

Let us be assured then that if we love this 
present evil world, if we are in it and of it, if we 
have any desires after its honors or good opinion, 
if we have afhnity for it or friendship toward it, 
we are God's enemies and the love of the Father 
is not in us. 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 



Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers ; for 
what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and 
what communion hath light with darkness ? and what con- 
cord hath Christ with Belial ? or what part hath he that 
believeth with an infidel ? and what agreement hath the tem- 
ple of God with idols? — II Cor. iv : 14-16. 

A LITTLE leaven leaveneth the whole lump. — Gal. v : 9. 

TN THAT short creed, called the Apostles' Creed, 
which is said to be the most ancient of creeds, 
we are taught to say, '* I believe in the communion 
of saints." This is equivalent to saying '' the fel- 
lowship of saints," as the two words are synonymous. 
In fact the Greek word usually translated ** fellow- 
ship " {koinonia), is in the passage quoted above 
translated *' communion." "And what communion 
hath light with darkness." The word there trans- 
lated " fellowship " is " metoche!' which is a syno- 
nym of the other, and may be used interchangeably 
with it. Fellowship means partnership, comradeship, 
alliance, association. It exists only among equals. 
The word may be used to represent that which is 

inward and spiritual or that which is outward and 

(103) 



I04 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

formal. In the text quoted abo\'e it is used in 
its spiritual sense, the outward form being called 
an unequal yoking together {Jieteroztigoitntes) . But 
in Eph. V : ii, it is used in its external sense. 
" And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works 
of darkness, but rather reprove them." Spiritual 
fellowship can exist only among those having the 
same spirit, otherwise it is impossible. And real 
fellowship exists only among those who have the 
Spirit of Christ. Here it is of supernatural and 
Divine origin, springing from a love of the breth- 
ren growing out of the love of God shed abroad 
in the heart by the Holy Ghost given them. Thus 
the fellowship of saints is supernatural in its origin 
and heavenly in its nature. 

"The fellowship of kindred minds 
Is like to that above." 

This union is inevitable among real saints. It 
is the tie that binds them together in one body. 
It cannot be produced by any effort of the will, 
nor by any human invention. It is spontaneous 
where it exists, and will continue so long as the 
relation of brethren in Christ continues. It is found 
only in the Church of Christ, which is a spiritual 
and Divine organism. Herein is found the weak- 
ness and unprofitableness of man-made churches. 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 105 

They lack this Divine cement to produce peace 
and unity, and are therefore destitute of the com- 
munion of saints. There is no danger of saints 
having spiritual fellowship with sinners. It is im- 
possible ; for '' what fellowship hath righteousness 
with unrighteousness ? " The danger is in an out- 
ward yoking together, which may corrupt the child 
of God, so that he may be dragged down from 
his high estate and become earthly minded and 
sensual again. It is against this danger that God 
would guard his people, and hence the injunction 
of the text. I repeat it that I may not be mis- 
understood, it is not against spiritual fellowship 
with unbelievers that we are here warned, for that 
is impossible, and so declared to be ; but against 
an outward yoking together with unsaved persons. 
Persons professing salvation from sin who are mem- 
bers of fallen churches which they confess to be 
fallen, will say, ** We have no real fellowship for 
these ungodly people with whom we are associated." 
But that is the very reason why God forbids you 
to be yoked up with them, because there is no 
spiritual fellowship. If there were such fellowship, 
there could be no danger, but because there is 
not such fellowship, God forbids the outward yok- 
ing. It is hypocrisy in the first place, because it 



io6 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

is an appearance of unity which does not exist. 
It is a solemn lie on the face of it. It is a pub- 
lic declaration of a falsehood, not so much in words, 
as in actions which speak louder than words. How 
can a child of God maintain a good conscience 
under such conditions ? He may declare with his 
mouth that he has no fellowship for these false 
professors, but his conduct contradicts his words 
when he takes sinners by the hand and calls them 
brethren. It is not complimentary to his Father 
to acknowledge such as brethren. They do not 
have the family Hkeness. Nothing can be com- 
mendable or justifiable, or even excusable, which is 
not honest. When men claiming to be saints conduct 
themselves in such manner, there must be some 
other motive than the glory of God ; they must be 
seeking that which is their own instead of the 
things that are Jesus Christ's. In discussing the 
question of unholy fellowship, the inquiry will be 
directed toward outward fellowship, or the unequal 
yoking of the believer with the unbeliever. The 
subject will be considered under three heads : the 
nature of such unequal yoking, the danger of it, 
and the means of avoiding it. 

I. There are various ways m which the be- 
liever and unbeliever may be yoked together to 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 107 

the disadvantage of the former. In fact there 
are few senses in which they can be fellows or 
partners to mutual advantage. ''Can two walk 
together except they be agreed?" — Amos iii:3. 
The motives and aims of saints and sinners are so 
unlike, so opposite, that harmony is out of the 
question. The one seeks to do his own will, the 
other to do the will of God. They can therefore 
have but little in common. Mr. Wesley in the 
General Rules of his societies requires all Metho- 
dists to help one another in business, forasmuch 
as the world will love its own, and them only. 
These injunctions have lost all their force and sig- 
nificance among the people now called Methodists. 
The first yoking that I will speak of is a partner- 
ship in business. It seems to me that a saint and 
a sinner would be unequally yoked together in a 
business venture. Unless the Christian had such 
a preponderance of interest in the partnership as 
to give him complete control, he would be com- 
pelled to be answerable for the conduct of his 
partner, and we are forbidden to be partaker of 
other men's sins. Many things are thought to be 
proper and admissible in business transactions by 
worldly men, that Christians cannot do with good 
consciences. The worldly standard of honesty and 



lo8 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

probity is quite different from the Gospel standard. 
So if we suppose that the unbeHever is honest in 
the accepted sense, still his conduct will not square 
with the Gospel rule, and so the Christian in partner- 
ship with him would be responsible for conduct 
which he could not justify. Besides, the effect of 
such association is liable to be demoralizing to him. 
" Evil communications corrupt good manners." But 
if the unbelieving partner should not be strictly 
honest in the worldly sense, the matter is still worse. 
I might as well steal as to share the profits of 
another's theft. Competition in business is at the 
present time so severe, that many men think strict 
honesty to be impracticable. They would like to be 
honest if they could afford it. But because others 
will not be honest, they think they cannot be. They 
are like the London tradesman who excused him 
self to Dr. Samuel Johnson for dealing in smuggled 
goods. You know, sir, said he, that I must live. 
Dr. Johnson replied that he did not know about 
that, but he knew that he must die. Many men 
are so anxious about the means of procuring a 
hvelihood, that they forget that they must die. The 
Christian feels that whether he lives or dies he must 
be honest. To him there is no possible excuse for 
dishonesty or double-dealing. Hence he will avoid 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 109 

the difficulties which will necessarily arise from 
partnership with an unbeliever, by keeping out of 
such unequal yoking. All men are, strictly speak- 
ing, unbelievers, who have not saving faith in Christ. 
A mere profession of Christianity counts for nothing. 
The truly awakened sinner has much more faith 
than any worldly professor of Christianity has. A 
truly awakened person seeking Christ, is, in a quali- 
fied sense, a believer, and would be counted with 
believers rather than with unbelievers. 

Another way in which believers and unbelievers 
may be unequally yoked is in the marriage relation. 
This is called the conjugal state, which means a 
state in which two persons are yoked together. In 
the marriage state a saint and a sinner would in- 
disputably be unequally yoked together. This is 
more dangerous than mere partnership in business, 
as the relation of the participants is so much more 
intimate, and the union so much more difficult to 
break ; in fact it is indissoluble except by death 
or unfaithfulness to the marriage vows. It would 
seem that the impropriety and danger of such an 
unequal union are so apparent that it would not be 
necessary to do more than to mention the matter 
to convince anyone of it. There can be so little 
in common between a soul seeking God and delight- 



no CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

ing itself In Him, and one who loves the world and 
desires the things of the world, that there would 
seem to be no danger of such mesalliance. But 
observation shows that the danger exists, and that 
God's people need to be warned against it. If we 
are faithful to God we will find a sufficient number 
of foes in our own households, without bringing 
them in voluntarily and with our eyes open. Reason 
shows us the inconsistency and danger of unequal 
marriages, and the Scriptures only emphasize her 
teachings. In I Cor. vii : 39 we have this instruc- 
tion, "The wife is bound by the law as long as 
her husband liveth ; but if her husband be dead, 
she is at liberty to be married to whom she will ; 
only in the Lord." If the woman is to be married 
only in the Lord, this rule would certainly apply 
to the man also. If the marriage state has already 
been entered into before receiving the Gospel, and 
the husband or the wife becomes saved while his 
or her companion does not, this has no effect to 
weaken the marriage bond. The Apostle Paul 
holds out hope to the believing husband or wife, 
that by holy living the unbelieving partner may be 
won over. At all events he commands, ''Let not 
the wife depart from her husband, nor the husband 
put away his wife." No doubt much trouble and 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP iii 

suffering ensue from such unequal unions, but it 
cannot be helped and must be endured. It is the 
penalty which men pay for not seeking first the 
Kingdom of God. 

There are many other yokings with sinners 
which might be specified, but it is not perhaps nec- 
essary to consume space to do it, and I will come 
to the matter to which the Apostle has especial 
reference in the text. There is no doubt the writer 
of this epistle had particular reference to the un- 
equal yoking of saints and sinners in religious fellow- 
ship. It is this which is here especially prohibited. 
In the relations adverted to already, the results 
are certain to be more or less injurious, and may 
be fatally so. In this it is sure to be ruinous if 
persisted in, and in order that no one may mis- 
understand me, I will repeat that it is not spiritual 
fellowship between believers and unbelievers which 
is forbidden, for this is impossible. There can be no 
spiritual harmony between righteousness and un- 
righteousness, between light and darkness, between 
Christ and Belial. But believers may be outwardly 
yoked with unbelievers in some carnal society or 
organism, and it is this which is forbidden, 

11. It is generally recognized by religious people 
that some kind of discipline is necessary in a relrg- 



ri2 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

ious society or church. They consider some sins 
flagrant enough to justify excommunication. The 
Papists, while condoning nearly every crime in the 
catalogue, will exclude men from their communion 
for heresy and contumacy. The various Protestant 
sects have some mortal sins also, which they con- 
sider as justifying exclusion from their fellowship. 
It is true that the list of mortal sins is becomincr 
shorter as time passes, and communicants may do 
with impunity now what formerly would have con- 
demned them ; but there is still a semblance of dis- 
cipline left, and the principle, at least, is not yet 
discarded. Fifty years ago, card-playing, dancing, 
horse-racing, and theater-going were considered 
deadly sins by almost all denominations considered 
evangelical ; but for some reason they appear to 
have lost their sinfulness and are now practiced 
without molestation. Ecclesiastical discipline is 
sadly deteriorated ; possibly, because no one is left 
quahfied to cast the first stone. But while the neces- 
sity of some disciplinary rules is acknowledged, the 
real danger of unholy fellowship is not realized, and 
never has been as it should have been. Men have 
been disciplined who were likely to scandalize the 
society, if the sin could not be successfully covered 
up. But this is not the danger to be guarded 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP T13 

against. It is not the reproach arising from the 
exposure of sin that is to be dreaded or avoided. 
Much less harm is done by exposing sin than by 
conceaHng it. It is true of a society as of an indi- 
vidual, that " He that covereth his sins shall not 
prosper." God is always glorified in the exposure 
of sin, never in concealment. The menace of unholy 
fellowship is not to the reputation of a Christian 
society, but to its spiritual life, and the danger is 
equally great whether the sin is open or secret. 
The fact that religious societies are chiefly solicitous 
about their reputation shows them to be ignorant of 
the real danger of sin among them. Sin is corrupt- 
ing; and contact with it is dangerous. The 
Apostle Paul speaks of it as leaven. '' Know ye 
not that a Httle leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 
Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may 
be a new lump even as ye are unleavened." — I Cor. 
V : 6, J. Leaven always signifies a corrupting prin- 
ciple, as I have shown in the sermon on the Parable 
of the Leaven in a previous volume. The practice 
of representing righteousness as being a leaven is 
misleading and teaches an untruth. If sin is leaven 
then righteousness cannot be, as they do not pro- 
duce their effects in the same way. Christ calls 

the hypocrisy of the Pharisees leaven, and if hypoc- 

c.c— 8 



114 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

risy is a leaven, how could honesty and sincerity 
also be a leaven? The idea is absurd, and it is 
astonishing that able and learned men should have 
fallen into such a foolish mistake. It has done a 
world of harm by obscuring the truth upon this 
important matter of fellowship. All error is harm- 
ful, but some errors are more harmful than others. 
We should be careful how we make the Holy 
Spirit teach nonsense by our false interpretations 
of Scripture. Sin is a spiritual disease and it is 
propagated in the same way that physical disease 
is. The one is a type of the other. It is a common 
metaphor in the Scriptures to represent sin by 
physical ailments. This is recognized on all hands; 
in sermons and hymns, and by everyone who 
teaches upon the subject of religion, who recognizes 
the existence of sin in the world. Now would any- 
one be guilty of teaching that health can be propa- 
gated in the same way as disease? Yet everyone 
who teaches that leaven stands for a principle of 
righteousness as well as for a principle of corruption, 
teaches that spiritual health and spiritual disease 
are disseminated in the same manner. This makes 
the absurdity of their teaching very evident. Sci- 
entists claim to have discovered and identified the 
germs of many diseases, but no one so far has 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 1 15 

discovered the germ of good health. In fact they 
are not so fooHsh as to be looking for such a mi- 
crobe. But the theologians have discovered the 
microbe of spiritual health long ago, and imagine 
if they can but introduce it into a corrupt and dis- 
eased organism, they can with assurance await the 
entire renovation and purification of it, through the 
multiplication and action of said microbe. Can any 
manifestation of folly go beyond this ? Health is 
positive, disease is negative. Health is not con- 
tagious, nor communicated from one person to 
another ; diseases of many kinds are thus communi- 
cated. Hence the danger of infection. One sinner 
will destroy much good, just as one diseased per- 
son may inoculate a whole community. It might 
seem at first glance that this ought not to be so ; 
that health ought to be more active and powerful 
than disease, and more able to reproduce itself. 
A very strong argument might be constructed on 
this theory, but one fact will overthrow a thousand 
arguments. It might seem that if one person af- 
flicted with the smallpox were placed in the company 
of one hundred healthy people, they being so much 
in the majority, and being also strong and well, 
ought to be able to overcome the disease in the 
one man and cure him. Without experience, peo- 



Ii6 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

pie might be convinced that such a result would 
follow, but the hundred healthy persons, discover- 
ing the one case of smallpox among them, would 
pay little heed to such an argument; in fact they 
would not take time to listen to it, but with marked 
discourtesy they would leave the lecturer to him- 
self, and "stand not on the order of their going, 
but go at once." But most people are ready to 
gulp down theological teachings equally absurd on 
the subject of fellowship. They have not learned 
from experience on that subject. " What," they 
exclaim, "you would not have us believe that one 
sinner can corrupt a whole society of saints ! " How 
many sick persons are necessary to infect a whole 
community ? The common idea is, that if a soci- 
ety of good people admit a few vicious persons to 
their fellowship, they will thus save them. Just as 
reasonably take a few lepers into your families to 
cure them. The one act is not more contrary to 
common sense and experience than the other. Peo- 
ple never act so foolishly with regard to natural 
things. When a farmer stores his apples for the 
winter, he does not leave the decayed fruit with 
the sound, hoping thus to save it. No, he care- 
fully selects out every apple that shows sign of 
infection, and uses it at once, or throws it away. 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 1 17 

Then in a short time he repeats the process ; for 
well he knows that one bad apple will destroy all 
those in contact with it. This must be done again 
and again. On the same principle the Scriptures 
admonish us to look diHgently, lest any man fail 
of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness 
springing up trouble us and thereby many be de- 
filed. Lest there be any profane person as Esau, 
who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 
(Heb. xii: 15, 16.) If God's people keep pure and 
unleavened it will be at the expense of constant 
vigilance. The danger of spiritual infection is 
equally as great as the danger of physical infec- 
tion, and it is brought about by contact or near 
neighborhood. All sin asks in order to propagate 
itself is contact with righteousness. In such case 
good is powerless and evil is active and offensive. 
Purity has no defense against corruption under such 
circumstances ; it will be overcome. I can have no 
hope of reforming a band of thieves by joining their 
ranks and becoming a fellow thief. I put my- 
self on their level and so cannot raise them 
to my former place. Good can only overcome evil 
by conflict, not by contact. '' And have no fellow- 
ship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but 
rather reprove them." It is by reproving sin, not 



Il8 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

by fellowshiping it, that we may hope to destroy 
it. Modern science has developed the activity of 
disease, and the tendency of disease germs to mul- 
tiply, and the danger of infection. Thus the people 
are being put more and more on their guard 
against the menace to the health of the body, but 
the danger of spiritual infection is seen and felt 
less and less continually. But the leaven of sin 
has so thoroughly done its work in the world that 
there are comparatively few left to be endangered. 
The lump has become pretty thoroughly leavened. 
It is for the warning of the few that are left that 
these lines are written. The real danger of spirit- 
ual contact with sin must be easily apparent from 
what has been already said. The only safety of 
God's people is in separation from sinners. It is 
sometimes objected that Christ mingled with sin- 
ners, and therefore we may do so safely. We may 
safely mingle with sinners in the same way the 
Master did, that is true. But he did not fellow- 
ship them. It is said of him in Heb. vii : 26, 
'' For such a highpriest became us, who is holy, 
harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made 
higher than the heavens." Here he is declared to 
be separate from sinners, and we should be sepa- 
rate in the same sense. We are not to separate 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 1 19 

ourselves from sinners in the sense of avoiding 
them or refusing to help them, of sympathizing 
with them in their afflictions or seeking to do 
them good ; but only in the sense of companion- 
ship and fellowship. It is not the common sin- 
ners who ask no fellowship and recognition, who 
are most dangerous, but the hypocritical professors 
of Christianity, who ask to be recognized as 
brethren in Christ, who are most to be feared. Of 
such the Apostle speaks when he exhorts, " From 
such turn away." We are not in much danger of 
fellowshiping those who ask no iellcwship, but 
those who demand it, and feel injured and insulted 
if it is not granted. They are liberal, and ready 
to fellowship God's people if it is reciprocated. 
They would make you feel narrow and selfish if 
you refuse them. But you and they are not on 
equal ground. They can lose nothing by the 
agreement and you will. The compromise is all 
on one side. It is safe to stand with God's word, 
however narrow and illiberal it may seem to sin- 
ners. To do otherwise is to put our souls in peril. 

III. How are we to avoid unholy fellowship, 
or unequal yoking with unbelievers ? The answer 
is found in the 17th and i8th verses of the chap- 



I20 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

ter in which the text stands : *' Wherefore, come 
out from among them, and be ye separate, saith 
the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I 
will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, 
and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the 
Lord Almighty." As has been already explained, 
family relations cannot be severed, and we must 
endure the inconvenience of being yoked thus with 
unbelievers, trusting that God will sweeten those 
relations by the work of his grace in saving the 
unbelieving members of our families. Jesus declares 
that the Gospel shall create division in families, so 
that a man's foes shall be those of his own house- 
hold. But we can and must avoid entering into 
such unequal bonds. In all cases where the rela- 
tion is not indissoluble there must be a withdraw- 
ing from it. Many persons when reached by the 
Gospel are found in oathbound secret societies. I 
have nothing to say of such fraternities for worldly 
men and women. I do not suppose that they are 
any worse than other institutions of this world. I 
cannot see or feel the propriety of a crusade 
against these societies from a worldly standpoint. 
But they are an unfit place for a child of God, 
since in them he is unequally yoked with sin- 
ners. Remaining in them he is unavoidably made 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 121 

responsible for other men's sins. He is where God 
forbids him to be. I have never felt it necessary 
to Insist on such withdrawals, being confident that 
a mere hint is sufficient for a truly converted man. 
If a man feels at home in such a fraternity, I am 
satisfied for him to stay there, being convinced 
that he would not at the same time feel at home 
among the people of God. I have no desire to 
separate men from their proper environment. Let 
them stay where the}^ belong. I am thoroughly 
convinced that no true Christian, no, not a truly 
awakened sinner, can feel in harmony with such 
surroundings. I think that harm is done by in- 
sisting too strenuously on outward relations, and 
that persons are thus forced into attitudes which 
they are unable to maintain. If the heart is made 
right and kept right, other things will soon adjust 
themselves to it. There are moral reform move- 
ments with which the Christian cannot cooperate. 
In fact there are none with which he can consist- 
ently do so ; for they attempt to yoke saints and 
sinners together for reform work. Even the Amer- 
ican Bible Society makes money instead of moral 
character the condition of membership. It is self 
evident that the children of God and the children 
of the devil cannot thus cooperate to any good end. 



122 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

So believers are commanded to come out and be 
separate. As a Christian is responsible to God for 
the means placed in his hands, he cannot consistently 
place his money in any association or corporation 
where it is out of his control, no matter how con- 
venient or profitable it may seem to be. *'Be not 
partaker of other men's sins; keep thyself pure", is 
as pertinent advice to each Christian as it was to 
Timothy. As the rehgious societies called churches 
are universally acknowledged to contain hypocrites 
and sinners, they can be no place for the child 
of God, as he would inevitably be therein yoked 
with • unbelievers. There was once some effort 
made, some honest effort, , to keep these societies 
comparatively pure. But such efforts are now 
generally abandoned as useless and hopeless. Men 
and women notoriously immoral are fellowshiped 
on equal terms with the best. A more dangerous 
place for a Christian than such a society would 
be difficult to imagine. They are whited sep- 
ulchres, fair to some degree without, but within 
full of iniquity. The popular sects are so fallen 
that instead of enforcing their rules against sinners, 
rules made when they were aiming at a pure 
membership, they are now discussing the propriety 
of rescinding and repealing their rules requiring 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 1 23 

consistent living, as being dead letters and im- 
possible of enforcement. 

Could there be any mofe open confession of the 
fact that the whole lump has become leavened? 
It has been said that a civil government that can- 
not enforce its own mandates is unfit to exist. 
Weak governments have not yet thought of a way 
out of the difficulty by repeaHng all their laws 
against crime and criminals. It has remained for 
a fallen church to propose such heroic measures. 
When there are no laws to break, there will be no 
lawbreaking. '' Where there is no law there is no 
transgression." As therefore believers in such re- 
ligious societies must perforce fellowship sinners, 
God commands them to come out from among 
them and be separate, and not to touch these un- 
clean persons, and thus avoid contagion. But 
some one may object that we are straining the 
language of the Apostle and applying it contrary 
to his intention : that he meant by these unbe- 
lievers, persons who rejected Christianity and were 
idolaters and pagans. Now while it is easy to prove 
that these false churches do emphatically reject 
true Christianity as did the pagans, and that fel- 
lowship with them is even more dangerous than 
with open pagans, I will cut the argument short 



124 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

by showing that these sects contain idolaters, 
equally so with the pagans. The Scriptures declare 
that a covetous man is an idolater. (Eph. v: 5.) 
Now as these sects are full of covetous persons 
they are full of idolaters, and so the language of 
the Apostle clearly applies to them. Again in II 
Tim. iii : 1—5, the same Apostle gives us a descrip- 
tion of false professors in the last days who have 
a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof, 
and he commands true believers to turn away from 
such. This is clear and unmistakable, and applies 
particularly to the fallen sects of the present time. 
It is easy to understand how God's people are to 
get out of unholy fellowship, by coming out from 
among unbelievers and refusing to be yoked with 
them; but how they are to keep in this condition 
of separateness is quite another question. It is 
quite easy to keep out of the old associations, but 
the difificult matter is to avoid forming new asso- 
ciations equally dangerous. A little light and a 
little resolution will suffice for the one, but it re- 
quires much light and great care and watchfulness 
to avoid the latter. It is a very easy matter to 
condemn the corrupt churches and sects about us, 
but quite another matter to avoid making another 
one which will inevitably become just as corrupt 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP I 25 

as those condemned by us. And right here is 
where most attempts to secure a pure church have 
failed. In most attempts to secure a pure fellow- 
ship, the results have been similar to the efforts to 
secure good government and pure politics by form- 
ing a new political party. Before the party could 
succeed it must be composed of the same mate- 
rials as were the corrupt parties it endeavors to 
supplant, and thus it becomes corrupt also ; as tak- 
ing a man out of one party and putting him into 
another does him no good, and does not tend 
toward purity. This is the mistake most religious 
reformers have made. They have taken pure, or 
comparatively pure material and put it into a human 
organism where it could not keep pure ; where it 
could not protect itself. Then men have been given 
something of their own to build up so that they 
would be tempted to seek that which is their own, 
and not that which is Jesus Christ's. In such case 
their eye could scarcely be kept single and so 
darkness followed. Men soon learned to identify 
their cause and Christ's cause, but unfortunately 
their cause became to them Christ's cause, instead 
of Christ's cause becoming their cause. As their 
zeal for the success of their cause exceeded their 
zeal for God's glory, they became less scrupulous 



126 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

about the means for advancing their selfish inter- 
ests, and spiritual decline and moral decadence 
soon set in. Is this unavoidable ? Then is a pure 
church an iridescent dream. Then when Jesus 
comes he will find no bride who is a chaste virgin ; 
then the gates of hell shall certainly prevail against 
Christ's church; then will the little leaven indeed 
leaven the whole lump, and faith and love shall 
perish quite. But I am persuaded better things of 
God's people and things accompanying salvation 
though I thus write. A pure church can be pre- 
served on the earth. With men it is impossible, 
but with God all things are possible. But whether 
a pure church can be preserved or not, it is our 
bounden duty by every means iii our power to en- 
deavor after it. And those ministers of God who 
sit with folded hands saying, *'I knew thee that thou 
art a hard man taking up that thou laidst not down, 
and gathering where thou hadst not strewn " will 
find themselves suffering the fate of the unprofitable 
servant. One of the fundamental mistakes of the past 
has been the putting of God's people into a human or- 
ganism, thus trammeling them by man-made rules and 
regulations. This not only prevents freedom of action, 
but provides saints with something of their own to 
care for, and lays the foundation for sectism and 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 127 

idolatry. We may be sectarian without a human 
organism, but we cannot fail to be, with one. The 
first essential thing to the preservation of a pure 
fellowship is the recognition of no bond of union 
except a spiritual one. Any fleshly bond of union, 
however slight, will prove a snare to the church. 
We must have nothing to rejoice in nor trust in 
but Christ Jesus. Having nothing to hold saints 
together but brotherly love, no common selfish in- 
terests, nothing to look after but the glory of God, 
nothing carnal to take care of nor defend, God's 
people are free to hear the truth and to obey it. 
They must have a keen sense of the dangerous 
nature of sin, and the fatal effects of fellowshiping 
sinners. One sinner destroyeth much good ; a lit- 
tle fire kindleth a great conflagration. Disease 
germs are minute and insignificant in appearance, 
yet very potent for evil. So it is with sin admit- 
ted and retained. No fear of consequences must 
deter saints from separating themselves from those 
who walk disorderly and will not be reproved. No 
considerations of friendship nor ties of blood, nor 
selfish interests, must prevent faithful dealing with 
those who fail of the grace of God. Eternal vigi- 
lance is the price of liberty from unholy fellowship. 
Moses' conduct at the time the Israelites made the 



128 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

golden calf seems harsh and cruel, when he com- 
nianded those on the Lord's side to take their 
swords and slay every man his brother, and com- 
panion and neighbor. (Exod. xxxii : 27.) This, 
which was written aforetime, was written for our 
learning, the Apostle declares. In the Lord's work 
we know no man after the flesh. The transgressor 
must be dealt with faithfully, though it be with 
harshness. The object is to save both ourselves 
and him. To fellowship one whom we know to 
be unsaved is as much an injustice to him as a 
danger to ourselves. We are helping Satan to de- 
ceive him or to keep him deceived. We must im- 
itate our Father who is faithful to every soul. We 
must have wisdom from God to know how to deal 
with each individual case. We are told, "And of 
some have compassion, making a difference : and 
others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire ; 
hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." — 
Jude22,23. It is the spotted garment, not the 
sinner we are to hate. In I Cor. v:9, 11, the 
Apostle Paul writes, '* I wrote unto you in an epis- 
tle not to company with fornicators; yet not alto- 
gether with the fornicators of the world, or with 
the covetous, or extortioners or with idolaters ; for 
then must needs ye go out of the world. But now 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 129 

I have written unto you not to keep company, if 
any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, 
or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunk- 
ard, or an extortioner; with such an one, no not 
to eat." But if saints undertake to put this com- 
mandment into practice, they are met with the 
objection that we are not to judge, lest we be 
judged. What ignorance of the Scriptures does 
this objection reveal ! Yet even professed Gospel 
ministers are often guilty of such perversion of 
Scripture, and such foolish, meaningless, caviling. 
In the next two verses, 12, 13, we read, ''For 
what have I to do to judge them that are with- 
out ? Do not ye judge them that are within ? But 
them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put 
away from among yourselves that wicked person." 
How can we put away from among ourselves a 
wicked person without judging ? How can saints 
withdraw themselves from disorderly persons with- 
out judging ? How can we mark them which 
cause divisions without judging ? The objection is 
too silly to merit notice, but too common to be 
passed over ; but it seems to me that professed 
religious teachers who are guilty of such puerility, 
should be heartily ashamed of themselves. " But," 

says some one, **Does not Christ say, 'Judge not 
c.c. — 9 



I30 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

that ye be not judged ' ? " He certainly does, and 
the Apostle Paul declares that He that is spiritual 
judgeth all things. 

It is the part of wisdom to harmonize Scripture 
and not to interpret one passage so as to make it 
contradict a score of others. Does Jesus forbid 
all judging? If so, then he here forbids what is 
commanded in many other places. I answer no; 
Christ does not here forbid all judging; He simply 
forbids unrighteous judging. He gives us to under- 
stand that we will have the same rule of judgment 
applied to us that we apply to others. If I know 
anything to be wrong in the conduct of another, I 
know it would be wrong in my own conduct, and 
in judging others I lay down the rule by which I 
must be judged. But every honest man expects 
the same standard of judgment will be applied to 
him that he applies to others. It is the judging 
others while not judging ourselves that Jesus con- 
demns. It is the attempt to pull motes out of 
others' eyes with beams in our own, that is repre- 
hensible. If we get our own eyes cleared up, then 
we can innocently pull motes out of the eyes of 
others, and not lay ourselves open to the charge 
of hypocrisy. If you do not wish to be judged, do 
not judge others. If you live in a glass house and 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 131 

are aware of the fact, do not throw stones. Chris- 
tians desire to be judged by God and man, and 
they are commanded to judge others. They are 
to love the brotherhood, and they must know who 
they are. They must separate themselves from 
sinners and must judge others to decide who are 
sinners. They are particularly to separate them- 
selves from those professing to be their brethren, 
who are evil doers. These things are too plain to 
be denied. These people who are so much afraid 
of judging false professors, are very ready to judge 
"them who are without." They judge the gambler, 
the saloon keeper, the drunkard, who does not be- 
long to their church. What wretched hypocrisy ! 
To cover up sin in them who are within, and con- 
demn it in those who are without. The Apostle 
declares that the sins of those who are without is 
none of their business : that God judges them. 
That their business is to judge them that are with- 
in. False churches reverse God's order and suffer 
the consequences. The true church is particularly 
interested in the purity of the brethren ; they attend 
to their own work, and let God attend to His. They 
have abundance of work in minding their own af- 
fairs. They have nothing to do in reforming the 
world ; they have a greater work to do. The world 



132 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Will soon pass away with its lusts, but the church of 
Christ will abide forever. The child of God sings: — 

"For her my tears shall fall, 

For her my prayers ascend; 
To her my cares and toils be given 
Till toils and cares shall end." 

A hypocritical church tr\'ing to reform the 
world is a sight to make angels weep and devils 
laugh and jeer. If each child of God were to 
stand alone without fellowship for anyone, he could 
with comparative ease maintain a state of sepa- 
ration from sinners. But Christ has organized his 
people into a church or family and it must be the 
constant care of God's people to make the bounds 
of their fellowship correspond with those of the 
true church. This can only be done by spiritual 
men who are declared to be able to discern all 
things. It is nearly impossible for a base pre- 
tender to righteousness to impose himself on a 
spiritual people. They are made very sensitive to 
spiritual influences. It is wonderful how even 
children who have been under the influence of the 
Holy Spirit will detect an impostor. They are 
only likely to be imposed upon by those who are 
self-deceived ; who imagine themselves saved when 
they are not. But faithful dealing will develop 
such cases. No man can successfully imitate the 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 133 

Christian character and Hfe who is not a Christian ; 
and if God's people are watchful, such deceived 
persons will soon be discovered. The church should 
exercise care in receiving persons to fellowship. 
Said Paul to Timothy, '' Lay hands suddenly on 
no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins." 
This advice will apply to the receiving men into 
fellowship with the church. If it found that any- 
one is unworthy of fellowship, he should be plainly 
dealt with, and the proofs of his unsaved condition 
pointed out. To withdraw fellowship is an indi- 
vidual matter; no one can do it for another. It 
cannot be done by majority vote. Hasty judgment 
may be productive of harm. " Judge nothing be- 
fore the time, before the Lord come," is the ad- 
vice of the Apostle to the church. When things 
can be made clear, and the blessed Spirit leads 
the way, then let matter be brought out. As 
everyone is left free, no division is Hkely to re- 
sult. If it should, it is only what is liable to 
follow the entertaining a profane person. But 
when the Holy Spirit guides, all will result well. 
" Him that is an heretic, after the first and second 
admonition, reject," is the direction of the Apostle 
to the Gentiles. A heretic is one who causes di- 
vision among brethren, a factious person, and as 



134 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

this was often done by teaching false doctrines, it 
has come to be applied to one who holds false 
tenets or beliefs. But no error in doctrine really 
makes a man a heretic. It is only when he seeks 
to cause dissension by any means, that a man 
becomes a heretic. It is to be expected that in 
all cases of discipline the church will act together, 
as all are under the teaching of the same Spirit. 
It is only through the teachings and leadings of 
the Holy Spirit that the church can be preserved. 
Unity in judgment can be secured only through 
His teachings. The manner of settling personal 
differences among brethren is clearly set forth by 
Christ in Mat. xviii : 15, 18. Where there is no 
human organism all that is necessary is the with- 
drawal of fellowship each one for himself, or by 
mutual consent, by the leader for the whole soci- 
ety. Real Christians realize that only those who 
are God's children are their brethren and sisters. 
Hence they are careful in the use of the term 
brother and sister. Most professors are very care- 
less in this regard. It is a common practice to 
call anyone brother, and it may be done by many 
such with propriety, it is true. To the true child 
of God the appellation is sacred and cannot be 
innocently applied to the children oi the devil. It 



UNHOLY FELLOWSHIP 135 

would be a libel on their Father, and on their 
Elder Brother, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is in- 
tended to be applied only to members of the 
heavenly family. It represents -a relation the most 
endearing, the most intimate, the most enduring, 
known on earth or in Heaven. 

If men and women will thus come out from 
among the ungodly and separate themselves from 
sinners and refuse to touch the unclean, God prom- 
ises to be their Father, and that they shall be His 
sons and daughters. As such they are the children 
of His love in a peculiar sense ; their interests are 
specially dear to Him; he that toucheth them, touch- 
eth the apple of His eye. He will avenge them 
upon their enemies. He will regard them with a 
solicitude so tender and true that it is beyond our 
comprehension. The mother may forget her suck- 
ing child that she should not have compassion on 
it, but God cannot forget His people. They are 
graven on the palms of His hands ; the hairs of 
their heads are all numbered ; and God shall supply 
all their needs according to His riches in glory. 
May God enable His people to purge themselves 
from all the vessels of dishonor, that they may be 
vessels unto honor sanctified and meet for the 
Master's use, and prepared unto every good work. 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 



Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond 
of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are 
called in one hope of your calling. — Eph. iv : 3, 4. 

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord 
Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same things, and that there 
be no divisions among you ; but that ye be perfectly joined 
together in the same mind and in the same judgment. — I 
Cor. i : 10. 

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which 
shall believe on me through their word ; that they all may 
be one. — John xvii : 20, 21. 

'T^HERE are two things of vital importance to the 

Church of Christ; separation from the world, 

and union among the membership. The want of 

either of these conditions portends certain death. 

Both these requisites of spiritual life are insisted 

on by the sacred writers and teachers, but how little 

heed is paid to their exhortations and warnings; 

and we see the sad and baleful consequences of 

this indifference. The worst of the situation is that 

such a degree of judicial bHndness is tipon the 

nominal church that she is not aware of her true 

condition, and she parades her spiritual nakedness 

without shame, because she imagines herself rich 
(136) 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 137 

and increased with goods. This is the lowest de- 
gree of degradation to which she can descend. But 
God has not left himself without witnesses, and for 
the few who have not defiled their garments the 
warning voice must still be lifted up ; the trumpet 
must give no uncertain sound, though there be so 
few to regard it. The commission to teach God's 
people all He has commanded them has not yet 
been withdrawn, and the responsibility for the 
safety of souls still rests upon Christ's ambassadors. 
The dangers of unholy fellowship have already been 
considered, and it shall be my task in this dis- 
course to set forth the necessity of unity among 
God's people. No one is able to deny the fact 
that Christ requires his people to be one. But 
many have endeavored to make obscure a matter 
which could not be denied. They talk much about 
unity and uniformity: that the one is required 
while the other is not, and beg the question by 
assuming that unity exists without uniformity. Just 
what is meant by uniformity in the mouths of such 
teachers I do not know, nor do they seem to know 
with any clearness. I suppose it is nothing danger- 
ous, if it should be spontaneous, and not forced by 
outside pressure. There is nothing said pro or con 
in Scripture about uniformity, and there is 



138 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

room for suspicion that the quibble is intro- 
duced to divert attention from the real question 
under discussion, and to conceal the lack of 
unity in the nominal church. The Papists insist 
on unity, and put forth the most strenuous efforts 
to maintain it; and they taunt the Protestants with 
their want of it. It is true that papal unity is no 
better than Protestant division, as it is not Chris- 
tian unity. But Rome has some kind of unity, 
while Protestant sects have no kind at all. Thus 
they are put on the defensive, and are at their 
wit's end to explain and excuse the situation. They 
have invented an idea that is supposed to meet 
the case. They say that while the visible church 
is divided into sects and rent by schisms, there is 
an invisible church which is a unit. They can fur- 
nish no Scripture proof of such a church, however, 
and if they could it would not meet the case. 
Christ prays for unity among his people, that the 
world may believe that the Father has sent Him. 
It must be, therefore, a visible unity to convince 
the world ; and an invisible church cannot furnish 
that kind. The church of Christ is a city set upon 
a hill, that cannot be hid. So that subterfuge will 
not do. Men sometimes are found who are brazen 
and reckless enough to assert that the various sects 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 139 

of Christendom furnish an example of Christian 
unity. But no sane man can believe it. Those 
who assert it certainly cannot believe it themselves. 
The Apostle Paul declares that when some called 
themselves for Paul, and some for ApoUos, and 
some for Cephas, that there were divisions among 
them and they were proven to be carnal. Paul 
did not discern among these different names the 
proofs of unity. I suppose that to call ourselves 
after Wesley, or Calvin, or Luther is just as bad 
as to call ourselves after the Apostles and just as 
strong proof of want of unity. The Apostle Paul 
declares, ^' There is one body and one Spirit." Are 
all these contending sects one body, having a com- 
mon head ? We know this is not true. Whatever 
unity there may be among them, if there be any, 
it is clear it is not the kind Christ prayed for and 
which the Apostle urges upon the Corinthians. But 
it is not necessary to endeavor to prove to the 
intelligent reader the absence of Christian unity 
among the denominations of professed Christians 
of the present day. The fact is self-evident. So 
I shall proceed to consider what Christian unity is, 
how it is brought about, and how preserved. 

By Christian unity I do not mean denomina- 
tional unity, or the consoHdation of the various 



I40 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

sectarian organisms existing in the world. This is 
not only impossible, but undesirable. Here is 
where many would-be reformers have made a 
mistake. They have shown clearly the evil of 
division among Christians, and their duty of being 
united together. But they have directed their ef- 
forts toward amalgamating the different sects. They 
failed to accomplish this work, but finding persons 
to agree with them, they organized other sects, 
thus increasing the evil they set forth to destroy. 
Their intentions may have been good, but their 
manner of procedure was all wrong. And if they 
had succeeded in their undertaking, no real good 
would have been accomplished. It is not ecclesi- 
astical unity, merely, that is needed, but Christian 
unity; unity of the Spirit. To bring together a 
great number of unsaved people, along with a few 
saved ones, into one great ecclesiastical body, 
would not be what God commands or what our 
Savior prays for. So for want of wisdom all this 
labor for unity was entirely lost. I have shown 
in the previous discourse that the first essential 
thing is the separation of God's people from sin- 
ners. There can be no real unity tintil that is 
accomplished. Then God will receive us and 
adopt us into his family as his children, and we 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 141 

thus become, all of us, members of one family. 
The unity is in the family and among the mem- 
bers of the family. We are exhorted to endeavor 
to keep the unity of the Spirit. The inference 
from this is that the unity of the Spirit already 
exists. We are not urged to bring it about, sim- 
ply to preserve it. We are told in another place 
that "By one Spirit are we all baptized into one 
body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether 
we be bond or free; and have all been made to 
drink into one Spirit." — I Cor. xii : 13. Here we 
see how and when we come into the unity of the 
Spirit. It is when we become members of the one 
body by the baptism of the Spirit. We are in- 
formed in the preceding verse that as in the 
physical body there are many members in but 
one body, so also is Christ. Christ has but one 
spiritual body composed of members baptized into 
this body by one Spirit. All who have this bap- 
tism are in this one body. None who are without 
this baptism are in it. This spiritual body of 
Christ is the church of Christ as stated in Col. 
i: 18-24. This is the only church spoken of in 
the New Testament or recognized therein. This 
church is also called the bride of Christ and the 
Lamb's wife. Adam declared Eve to be bone of 



142 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

his bone and flesh of his flesh ; and so saints are 
said to be ''Members of his [Christ's] body, his 
flesh and his bones." — Eph. v: 30. This is the 
church to which we have reference when we speak 
of the necessity of unity. In a restricted sense, 
all the saved people in any community or neighbor- 
hood constitute a church of Christ in that place. 
They are not the church because some man has 
organized them into a society, but because they 
have been baptized into one body by the Holy 
Spirit, and have been filled by the same Spirit. 
Now it has become their bounden duty to keep 
the unity of the Spirit which God has created. 
To this end it is their first duty to come out from 
among the unsaved, and be separate from them as 
they are commanded, and then to meet together 
in the name of Jesus, that the union which the 
one Spirit has produced may be made manifest to 
the world. How can this wonderful unity of saints 
convince the world unless it is plainly seen? Is 
it not clear that I am hindering Christ's prayer 
for me and his other children in my vicinity, if I 
refuse to do all I can to make manifest this unity, 
which is the standing proof of Christ's divinity and 
Messiahship? Can I be an obedient child and 
thus act? How strange that these plain simple 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 143 

truths should be so ignored and disregarded by 
men professing to be God's children. The division 
of nominal Christians into a multiplicity of sects 
is a fruitful cause of skepticism and infidelity. 
When a number of professed guides point out each 
a different road to the same place, each one being 
confident that he alone is not mistaken, the traveler 
is bewildered and confused, and is inclined to dis- 
trust all of them. 

If they all agreed they would have no hes- 
itancy in following their directions. This want 
of harmony among religious sects has produced 
distrust and indifference among the people gen- 
erally, and almost their only hope of making 
converts and recruiting their ranks, as they are de- 
pleted by death, is by taking their children and 
biasing and prejudicing their minds before they 
are old enough to judge for themselves concerning 
such matters. They have little hope of converting 
adults. The unity of the Spirit as found among 
real saints is a supernatural unity. It cannot be 
produced by any natural means. It is just as im- 
possible for men to make a church of Christ in a 
community, as to create a man from the dust of 
the earth as God did in the first place. They may 
make the image of a man, and it may be so true 



144 CHRISTIAN- CITIZENSHIP 

to nature in appearance as to deceive the eye at 
first glance, but examination will show it to be in- 
ert, cold, lifeless. So men may take the materials 
at hand and organize a society and call it a church, 
but it will be as destitute of spiritual life as the 
statue is of physical life. There will be no spirit- 
ual bond of union among the members, no sym- 
pathy, no real unity. The foot will not feel 
injured if the hand is cut off. There will be no 
more suffering than the marble statue would feel 
when mutilated. God alone can so temper the 
body together that the members shall have the 
same care one for another. In the very beginning 
God showed what He could do in uniting His peo- 
ple together in the pentecostal church at Jerusa- 
lem, and men looked on in astonishment. Nothing 
like it had ever been seen before. That was Chris- 
tian unity. Men can unite quite closely those who 
have common tastes and natural affinity. But God 
can take the most diverse and heterogeneous ma- 
terials, and produce among them a union the most 
vital, the most tender, the most intimate, the most 
persistent the world has ever known. The high, 
the low, the rich, the poor, the bond, the free, the 
learned, the ignorant, the rude, the refined, the 
pharisee and the publican are brought into a one- 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 145 

ness of spirit, whose bonds of union are stronger 
than death. They love one another with pure 
hearts, fervently. Now the Lord having made this 
union of hearts, he enjoins it upon his people to 
keep it. As the body without the spirit is dead, 
so the church without this unity in brotherly love 
is dead also. As to divide a body is to kill it, 
so to divide a church is to kill it. Especially will 
we kill the body if we divide it from the head. 
When we lose brotherly love we are divided from 
Christ our living head. If we love not our brother 
whom we have seen, how can we love God, whom 
we have not seen ? asks the Apostle John. Unity 
of the Spirit is vital and must be preserved at all 
hazards. When God's people realize this, they are 
armed against the enemy who seeks to divide that 
he may destroy them. It is Satan's constant effort 
to produce division and strife among saints. And 
such are their weaknesses and faults that without 
their being knit together in love, he would inev- 
itably succeed. But love covereth the multitude of 
sins or faults. Each child of God has a knowledge 
of himself. He knows how faulty he is, how much 
he needs mercy both from God and man. And as he 
needs to be borne with, so he can bear with others. 
In him " the quahty of mercy is not strained." 



146 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

A knowledge of God and a knowledge of him- 
self makes him merciful. Then love is not only 
tender, but it is true. It makes men honest with 
each other. They use plainness of speech. Love 
cannot suffer sin upon a brother, it will in any- 
wise reprove him. If the Christian feels that his 
brother has wronged him, he will go and tell him 
his fault. This will give an opportunity for ex- 
planation, and the probabilities are that everything 
will be made satisfactory. If this fails the direc- 
tions are clear as to what should be done further. 
If instead of going to our brother with our griev- 
ance we take others into our confidence, we may 
be doing him an injustice. He must first have a 
chance to explain, and the matter will probably 
drop right there. If we keep the matter shut up 
in our own bosom, we may be doing him an injury 
and ourselves also. He has a right to be heard 
before we pass judgment on him. If it is a mat- 
ter that we can drop and think no less of him, it 
is proper to drop it and say nothing about it. 
But we must not keep hidden fire shut up in our 
bosom. Saints no doubt will be tempted to envy 
and jealousy, but love arms them against these 
mean and despicable sins. They have learned of 
God to esteem their brethren above themselves, and 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 147 

SO cannot feel injured when others are honored.' 
When one member suffers, all the members suffer 
with it; and when one is honored, all rejoice with 
it. '' In honor preferring one another." When we 
are tempted to feel that we are not appreciated, let 
us go down under the cross remembering, *' That 
not he that commendeth himself is approved, but 
whom the Lord commendeth." No saint can afford 
for any cause to be separated from God's people. 
It is spiritual death to separate ourselves. ** These 
be they who separate themselves, sensual, having 
not the Spirit." — Jude 19. To be divided from 
the body of Christ is to be separated from the 
head of the body, Christ. Men sometimes imagine 
that they can serve God themselves without affiliat- 
ing with other Christians, but if God has a peo- 
ple in any locality, no saint can refuse to be in 
harmony and fellowship with God's people with 
impunity. He sets at defiance God's will, putting 
his own will or convenience above brotherly love 
and God's commandments. *' Be kindly affectioned 
one to another with brotherly love ; in honor pre- 
ferring one another." — Rom. xii : 10. "Love the 
brotherhood." — i Pet. ii : 17. **Let brotherly love 
continue." — Heb. xiii : i. "A new commandment 
I give unto you, That ye love one another ; as I 
have loved you, that ye also love one another. By 



148 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, 
if ye have love one to another." — John xiii: 34, 35. 
These and many other Scriptures show the estima- 
tion Christ puts upon brotherly love and unity. 
So long as saints preserve the unity of the Spirit, 
they are kept in the one body, where nourishment 
is ministered to them that they may grow thereby. 
This oneness is shown by their care for one another. 
What is to the interest of one is to the interest of 
all. What of earthly substance belongs to one 
belongs to all. They are " ready to distribute, will- 
ing to communicate." When one sorrows, all sorrow 
with him; when one rejoices all rejoice with him. 
When one prospers, all are pleased at it. The 
members " have the same care one for another." 
'* Each esteems others rather than himself." The 
poet has beautifully described this oneness of Spirit 
in the church of Christ: — 

"Blest be the tie that binds, 

Our hearts in Christian love; 
The fellowship of kindred minds 
Is like to that above. 

"Before our Father's throne, 

We pour our ardent prayers; 
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, 
Our comforts and our cares. 

"We share our mutual woes — 
Our mutual burdens bear; 
And often for each other flows 
The sympathizing tear." 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 149 

It Is true that such oneness in Christ is hard to 
find. Men may call themselves "United Brethren 
in Christ," but that does not make them such. 

"The different sects who all declare 
Lo here is Christ, and Christ is there — " 

fail to prove their claim. They *' lack the genuine 
mark of love," and thus prove to all men that 
they are not Christ's disciples. They rather illus- 
trate the meaning of James iii : 14-16. ''But if 
ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, 
glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wis- 
dom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, 
sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, 
there is confusion and every evil work." But 
though real brotherly love and unity are uncommon, 
they have not yet quite perished from the earth. 
God still has a few witnesses, who are still the salt 
of the earth, and the light of the world. Like 
Lot in Sodom they are a conserving force, and 
God will not pour out His vengeance on the earth, 
until He takes His despised people away from it. 
But Christian unity is not only unity of the 
Spirit, in the one body. It is also unity of faith 
and of judgment. This is set forth in the passage 
from I Corinthians quoted at the beginning of this 
discourse. While many are wilHng to accept the 



150 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

doctrine of spiritual unity among Christians, they 
pronounce unity of sentiment and speech an im- 
possibiUty. They declare that men can never be 
brought to think alike on any subject, the subject 
of religion being no exception to the general rule. 
Hence diversity of opinion among Christians they 
declare to be inevitable, which will naturally be 
followed by outward separation and division. By 
such arguments sectarian divisions among professed 
Christians are justified, and pronounced a good 
rather than an evil. The only way to prevent 
these divisions, it is affirmed, is by denial of free- 
dom of conscience and free discussion, and by the 
pressure of ecclesiastical authority as in the Roman 
Church. Now the Scriptures do not favor the de- 
nial of freedom of inquiry nor of opinion, nor do 
they favor priestcraft nor oppression. Therefore if 
unity can be brought about no other way, it must 
be acknowledged that it is impracticable on spirit- 
ual grounds. 

Another thing is evident: that religious enthu- 
siasm and zeal do not help the situation, but make 
it worse ; for the greater the religious zeal among 
professed Christians, the more important will their 
differences of opinion appear to them to be. So 
that indifference in religion is more promotive of 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 



151 



unity than enthusiasm would be. But if division 
is a good thing, I suppose the more we have the 
better, especially if zeal for religion produces it. 
There is an increasing tendency toward harmony 
at the present time, but it is because people care 
so little for religion that they do not think their 
differences worth talking about. If their religious 
zeal were to be greatly stirred up, they would con- 
tend for things as essential which now appear 
trivial, just as their fathers did. The logical con- 
clusion from all this must be, either that division 
among Christians is a good thing, or zeal for re- 
ligion is a bad thing; and you can take either 
horn of the dilemma you choose. But if this view 
is correct, and these things spoken of above are 
true, then Christ prayed for an impossibility and 
the Apostle Paul was a, visionary enthusiast who 
did not know what he was writing about. How 
absurd for him to require men all to speak the 
same things, and to be perfectly joined together in 
the same mind and the same judgment. Did he 
not know that this was impracticable? If he were 
so ignorant as not to know it, how quickly any 
theological student of the present day could dis- 
abuse his mind. And yet St. Paul was not a fool 
nor an ignoramus. He was a very learned man, 



152 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

as well as one of the most talented of men, and a 
consummate theologian. But there is evidently a 
disagreement between him and the theologians of 
the present day, a wide irreconcilable difference. 
And those who justify and defend division among 
Christians not only differ with St. Paul, but with 
other good and wise men. Hear John Wesley : 
'' Would to God that all the party names, and un- 
scriptural phrases and forms, which have divided 
the Christian world were forgot; and that we 
might all agree to sit down together as humble, 
loving disciples, at the feet of our common Master, 
to hear His word, to inbibe His Spirit, and to tran- 
scribe His life in our own!" — Preface to "Notes 
on the New Testament." We find that as great a 
man as John Wesley wished for the same thing 
that St. Paul advised. He did not know that the 
wish was foolish. But if the constitution of human 
nature makes such unanimity of mind and heart 
impossible, then it never can have occurred in the 
history of the race. But we read in Acts ii : 44- 
46, " And all that beheved were together and had 
all things common ; and sold their possessions and 
goods, and parted them to all men as every man 
had need. And they continuing daily with one 
accord in the temple, and breaking bread from 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 1 53 

house to house, did eat their meat with gladness 
and singleness of heart." And again Acts iv : 32, 
''And the multitude of them that beHeved were of 
one heart and one soul." Here were more than 
three thousand men and women, who spoke differ- 
ent languages, and were a short time before 
entire strangers, in most instances, as they were 
devout Jews gathered from every nation under 
heaven, who were in some manner brought to such 
a state of unity, that they were of one heart and 
one soul. There was perfect oneness among them ; 
no contention, no difference, no strife about words. 
Says Mr. Wesley, ** There was a time when all 
Christians were of one mind, as well as of one 
heart; such great grace was upon them all when 
they were first filled with the Holy Ghost." — 
''Wesley's Works," I, 341. It is true that this 
perfect unity did not continue, but whose fault was 
it ? The fact is established that it can be brought 
about, that it is not an impossible state, as some 
would have us believe. Here God put to shame 
the wisdom of the wise, and showed the folly of 
their teachings. " With men it is impossible, but 
with God all things are possible." What was once 
done can be done again. The same causes will 
produce the same effects. It must be admitted 



154 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

that purely natural causes will not produce such 
effects. There must be a direct interposition of Di- 
vine agency and power. Men are prone to leave 
God out of their calculations. Without the imme- 
diate working of Divine power, Christian unity is im- 
possible. But so is forgiveness of sin, and holy 
living, and final perseverance. Without the super- 
natural agency of God, Christianity is a chimera, 
''Made of such stuff as dreams are, and as base- 
less as the fantastic visions of the morning." Chris- 
tianity is wholly a supernatural religion. It is the 
wisdom coming from above. Hence Christian unity 
is no more superhuman than all the remainder of 
the scheme. A Christianity, all of whose phenom- 
ena can be accounted for on natural principles, is a 
sham and a fraud. It is ''earthly, sensual (natural), 
deviUsh." Christian unity is not to be accounted for 
on natural principles any more than any other phe- 
nomenon of Christ's religion. That it cannot be 
accounted for by natural means, is cheerfully ad- 
mitted. It is impossible that any great number of 
men should be brought to think and speak alike 
on any subject, by means of human persuasion and 
argumentation. What will convince one will not 
convince another. Men divide in opinion on every 
possible subject. They cannot draw the same con- 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 155 

elusion from the same premises. Their powers of 
reasoning are imperfect; they have various degrees 
of knowledge of a subject, and they view it from 
different standpoints. Their conclusions are warped 
and colored by their prejudices, and their mental 
temperaments. Some always hope for the best, 
are optimistic, some always expect the worst, are 
pessimistic. Thus a thousand things intervene to 
modify their conclusions; and how can they be 
expected to speak the same things, and be per- 
fectly joined together in the same mind and the same 
judgment ? This is true of all subjects looked at 
simply from the standpoint of unaided reason. The 
subject of religion is no exception to the rule. So 
we see men taking the same book as containing 
all authoritative teaching on the subject of their 
religion, extracting therefrom a thousand differing 
and contradictory doctrines. They differ on every 
point. They differ among themselves about the 
being and nature of God, the material and moral 
nature of man, the nature of Christ, the nature, de- 
sign, and extent of His atonement; the resurrection 
of the body; the conditions of salvation through 
Christ; the Holy Spirit, His nature and office; 
future rewards and punishments ; the constitu- 
tion, government, and conditions of member- 



156 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

ship in the Church of Christ; as to outward 
ordinances, whether there are any, their num- 
ber, nature, design ; how and by whom they 
may be administered ; the proper subjects of them, 
etc., etc. Confusion and uncertainty are prevalent, 
and men are becoming more and more indifferent 
toward a subject about which so Httle can surely 
be known. The pagan philosophers found so much 
confusion, and so many conflicting theories in their 
teaching about the unknown, that they despaired of 
finding the truth ; so that Pilate, in reply to Jesus' 
statement that he came to bear witness to the 
truth, exclaimed derisively, '' What is truth? " We 
have come to about the same point in the end of 
this age. Men are despairing of finding the truth, 
and conclude that it does not make much differ- 
ence what a man believes, so he is sincere in his 
opinions. But is that true in natural things which 
are types of the spiritual? If a bhnd man honestly 
follows a bhnd leader, will that keep him out of 
the ditch? Pilate probably looked upon Jesus as 
a sort of harmless lunatic, talking so much about 
the truth, which Pilate knew was unattainable. 
Christ's followers who profess to have the truth, 
are looked at by the wise and prudent of this 
world in much the same way now. Yet, if the 



CHRISTIAN UNITY T57 

Bible is true, it is possible to have and to know 
the truth. Jesus declares in John xviii:3i,32, 
" If ye continue in my word, then are ye my dis- 
ciples indeed ; and ye shall know the truth, and 
the truth shall make you free." When Christ's 
disciples all know the truth, they shall all know 
the same thing ; for the truth is one and the same, 
everywhere, at all times. Jesus declares that he is 
the truth Himself. ** In him are hid all the treas- 
ures of wisdom and knowledge." The religion of 
Christ is not only a true religion, it is the true re- 
ligion. There is no truth out of Christ. He is 
the embodiment of truth, everything else is a lie. 
Though we cannot arrive at a knowledge of the 
truth through the unassisted use of our reasoning 
powers, we may be Divinely taught. The ancient 
world by its own wisdom knew not God, and the 
modern world can do no better. " Neither know- 
eth any man the Father save the Son, and he to 
whomsoever the Son shall reveal him." As God 
is known only by revelation, so the truth is known 
only in the same way. So Jesus advises, " If any 
man lack wisdom let him ask of God, — and it shall 
be given him." Jesus says further, " It is written 
in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of 
God." Again, under the new covenant it is prom- 



158 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

ised that '^ They shall not teach every man his 
neighbor and every man his brother, saying, Know 
the Lord, for all shall know him from the least to 
the greatest." And the Apostle John writes to all 
saints, **Ye have an unction from the Holy One, 
and ye know all things." And again, "But the 
anointing which ye have received from him abideth 
in you, and ye need not that any man teach you ; 
but as the same anointing teacheth you of all 
things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it 
has taught you, ye shall abide in him." — I John ii : 
20, 27. Since all God's people are under the 
same Divine teacher and are by Him taught 
the truth, which is one, they must all learn the 
same things. It is through the teaching of 
the Holy Spirit that unity of faith is to be 
secured, and in that way alone. If God's people 
hold to nothing as Christian doctrine except what 
they are taught of God, rejecting the traditions of 
the elders and the commandments of men, they not 
only may be one in faith, but they must be, since 
the Holy Spirit wi^l teach them all the same things. 
This is the mission of the Blessed Spirit. " How- 
beit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will 
guide you into all truth — for he shall receive of 
mine and shall shew it unto you."— John xvi : 13, 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 1 59 

14. ** But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, 
whom the Father will send in my name, he shall 
teach you all things and bring all things to your 
remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you." 
''And I will pray the Father and he shall give 
you another Comforter, that he may abide with you 
forever ; even the Spirit of truth ; whom the world 
cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither 
knoweth him ; but ye know him ; for he dwelleth 
with you, and shall be in you." — John xiv: 16, 17, 
26. How little do professed Christians now de- 
pend* upon the teachings of this promised Com- 
forter. They no longer feel the need of being 
taught. Their creeds are complete and they need 
to learn nothing more. But if we had a published 
creed containing all the truth, and nothing but the 
truth, in theory, we would just as greatly need the 
Holy Ghost to teach us the truth as men ever did. 
We cannot learn spiritual truth from books, but 
from God alone. The man born blind might dis- 
course learnedly and correctly about light and 
colors, but he could not understand one word of 
his own lecture until he could see. It is in vain 
for us to prepare correct theories for posterity. 
Unless the same Holy Spirit which taught us shall 
teach them, they will be no better nor wiser for 



l6o CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

all our labors in their behalf. But if they learn 
of God, they will infallibly learn what we have been 
taught of God. Unity of doctrine is secured in 
the Church of Christ by the teaching and guidance 
of the Holy Spirit. If men will imitate the Apostles, 
who spoke that they did know, and testified that 
they did see, they would never teach false doctrine. 
But men professing to be sent of God to teach, 
preach their own opinions, and the traditions of 
men, and the natural results follow. The sower 
should sow the word and nothing else. He should 
give only what he has received of God. What 
authority has any man to preach his own opinions 
or the opinions of other men as God's truth? He 
is uttering, and giving currency to, spurious coin, 
and passing it off for genuine. The Apostle Paul 
is careful to distinguish between his own opinions 
and God's truth, even upon comparatively trivial 
matters. Yet modern preachers circulate the base 
coin of their own imaginings, as the pure coin of 
the realm, with no qualms of conscience for their 
counterfeit utterances, and their hearers much pre- 
fer this to the truth. 

When saints are first brought into the unity of the 
Spirit, they have not entire unity of faith, as they 
have not a full understanding of the doctrines of 



CHRISTIAN UNITY l6l 

Christ. In the first years of Christianity Jews and 
Gentiles were brought into this fellowship, and 
while each race might differ among themselves in 
some things, there were greater differences between 
the two ; differences of education and of tradition, 
which would be Hkely to produce disputes and 
wrangling, if maintained in self-will. At the pres- 
ent day men are taught so many theories on the 
subject of rehgion, that many prejudices must be 
surrendered, and many opinions revised or aban- 
doned, before there can be unity of faith. These 
differences of opinion are found where any number 
of persons are brought into fellowship through the 
influence of the Gospel. Thus there is not perfect 
unity of faith when people are first brought into 
the unity of the Spirit. No doubt the diversities 
of opinion are more numerous now than in the 
first years of Gospel preaching. Yet they may all 
speak the same things if they speak only what they 
have been taught of God, and hold other opinions 
subject to revision as they receive light from God. 
And this they are instructed to do, and not to 
judge one another concerning differences which are 
the result of past education. Thus the Jewish and 
Gentile converts differed concerning clean and un- 
clean meats. One made no distinction in meats, 

C.C. — II 



1 62 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

while the other could not bring himseh' to eat 
what the law of Moses condemned as unclean. 
Had they loved their own opinions more than they 
loved their brethren and Christian unit}-, they would 
have been rent asunder by their differences of 
viev.-s. They also differed about the keeping of 
holy days. Somebody was in error, and somebody 
was in the right; but the question was not vital 
and need not be made a cause of judgment or 
condemnation of one another. They could leave 
the matter in abeyance until more light came from 
God. So nearly all the questions which divide 
nominal Christians belong to meats and drinks, or 
of ouUvard things not of the essence of Christ's 
religion, for. " The kingdom of God is not m.eat 
and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in 
the Holy Ghost." Now all Christians, whatever 
their differences, may be brought to think and see 
alike and to be perfectly joined together in the sam.e 
mind and judgment, if they will but keep in God's 
order, under the guidance of the Comforter, "En- 
deavoring to keep the unit}' of the Spirit in the 
bond of peace; — Till we all come into the unit}^ 
of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of 
God, unto a perfect man, unto the mieasure of the 
stature of the fullness of Christ." B\- maintaining 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 1 63 

the unity of the Spirit, the unity of the faith may be, 
and wiU be, come into ; meanwhile speaking the 
same things, by dweUing upon the things which God 
■ has already taught us. '* Let us therefore, as many 
as be perfect, be thus minded ; and if in anything 
ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this 
unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already 
attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind 
the same things." — Phil, iii : 15, 16. Here is God's 
order plainly set forth. First. Keep the unity of 
the Spirit. Second. Mind the things in which 
you all agree ; *' mind the same things." Third. 
Leave it to God to convince and guide those who 
are ignorant. Fourth. Allow no want of agree- 
ment in opinion to decrease your love for your 
brother. Fifth. Let those who are strong and 
well instructed bear with the infirmities of those 
weaker and less well instructed. A genuine Chris- 
tian is honest and desirous to know the truth. He 
is teachable, being conscious of his ignorance ; 
and while he dare take no man's dictum in place 
ol the teaching of the Holy Spirit, neither is he 
stubborn or self-willed. Saints are really in more 
danger of taking truth at second hand from those 
in whom they have confidence as teachers sent of 
God than they are of resisting the Holy Ghost. 



1 64 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

So long as the unity of the Spirit is main- 
tained, the Comforter is with God's children to 
*' move and actuate and guide." They will con- 
tinue to learn of Christ, and to grow up into Him 
their living head. But if on the contrary, the unity 
of the Spirit is lost, and divisions and heresies 
creep in, the Holy Spirit will be grieved, brotherly 
love will be lost, and nothing further will be learned 
of God. The work of instruction will end at once, 
for where envy and strife are there is confusion 
and every evil work. Carnality takes the place of 
spirituality, and the same thing takes place in a 
spiritual sense as occurred at the tower of Babel : 
there will be such confusion of tongues that they 
will not understand each other's speech, and so 
they will be scattered. We see this state of affairs 
fully exemplified in the condition of Christendom 
at the present time. There is no unity of 
Spirit, and consequently there can be no unity of 
faith. The blessed Spirit will not, yea cannot, 
teach where there is strife and confusion. So while 
these contending sects imagine themselves to be 
ever learning, they are never able to come to the 
knowledge of the truth, because not under the 
teaching and guidance of the Spirit. Their worldly 
wisdom and learning not only cannot bring them 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 1 65 

to a knowledge of the truth, but they are a posi- 
tive hindrance to such knowledge, since God has 
hidden these things from the wise and prudent and 
revealed them unto babes. It requires a great 
measure of humility and teachableness resulting 
from a sense of our own ignorance to enable us 
to be taught of God. It is only those who become 
as little children that get into Christ's school of 
instruction. And they do not become any less 
teachable nor less sensible of their need of learn- 
ing, by being taught of God. Any assumption of 
knowledge stands directly in the way of improve- 
ment, and is a proof of ignorance. " If any man 
thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth 
nothing yet as he ought to know." — I Cor. viii : 
2. This is a route to wisdom that is Httle traveled, 
but it is the only one by which the goal can be 
reached. The reHgionists of the present day have 
not followed this path, but have divided the truth 
into fragments, and each sect has been contented 
with a small fraction, which immediately ceases to 
be truth when divided, just as a fragment of a dead 
body is not a man. Thus Christ who is the truth 
is divided, each party claiming possession of at 
least the larger part of him, and loudly proclaim- 
ing, Lo ! here is Christ ! But a divided Christ can- 
not be a living Christ, and can be of no benefit 



1 66 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

to sinners. I repeat, the division and want of unity 
among professed Christians absolutely precludes, 
not only unity of faith, but also any Divine teach- 
ing or guidance. It is only by preserving the unity 
of the Spirit among believers that spiritual life and 
growth can be maintained. The Church of Christ 
is called his spiritual body, and is typified by the 
natural body, which is by the New Testament 
writers used as an emblem of the spiritual body. 
Now we know that to rend a natural body is to 
destroy life. This is emphatically true of the spirit- 
ual. Life is impossible where there is not union. 
** There is one body and one Spirit." ''Is Christ 
divided ?" No ! When believers divide they cease 
to be the body of Christ, and become caput mor- 
tuurn^ a dead carcass. If they can be considered 
in any sense one body, they are the body without 
the spirit, which is dead, and you might as reason- 
ably expect growth in a corpse as in such a church^ 
I mean spiritual growth. It may grow in a nat- 
ural sense, in numbers, in influence, in respect- 
ability, in wealth, but not in grace and the 
knowledge of the truth. The manner of spiritual 
growth is described by St. Paul, using a natural 
body as a figure, in Eph. iv: 15,16: "But speak- 
ing the truth in love, may grow up into him 
in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 167 

from whom the whole body fitly joined together 
and compacted by that which every joint sup- 
pHeth, according to the effectual working in 
the measure of every part, maketh increase of 
the body unto the edifying of itself in love." 
But if the body is not fitly joined together 
there can be no growth expected. In Col. ii : 
19, we find the same thought repeated. "And 
not holding the Head, from which all the body 
by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, 
and knit together, increaseth with the increase of 
God." Where the body is not knit together, there 
may be some kind of increase, but not the in- 
crease of God. In reading the reports of religious 
bodies, one cannot but be struck with the ab- 
sence of all claim for increase in holiness. The 
increase in numbers is boasted of, the addition to 
the number of buildings, and the amount of money 
expended upon them, and their value in dollars 
and cents, is paraded for admiration, the amounts 
raised for the various benevolences of the denom- 
ination are duly chronicled, but not one word is 
said about spiritual growth or increase in love. 
None of these things enumerated are any part of 
the increase of God. Such growth as God desires 
to see is not mentioned and not expected. The 



1 68 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

means by which growth can be secured are not 
used, as the people have turned away their ears 
from the truth spoken in love, and have made 
choice of fables. They throw away the wheat, 
though still clinging to the chaff. And there is 
no remedy for this state of things. No fallen 
church was ever reformed. " Evil men and se- 
ducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and 
being deceived." But among God's real spiritual 
people unity may and does exist. The gates of 
hell have not prevailed against the church founded 
on the Rock, and the very elect have not been 
deceived by Satan's miracles. Christ's sheep still 
hear His voice and follow Him, and refuse to follow 
strangers. The same love that burned in the 
hearts of true saints at Pentecost still burns in the 
hearts of God's chosen few, scattered though they 
may be, despised as they must be. They keep 
the unity of the Spirit and are coming more and 
more into the unity of the faith, to the knowledge 
of the Son of God. The promised Comforter still 
abides with the church, still takes of the things of 
God and shows them to those who being ignorant 
desire to learn of Him. They find Him to be the 
Spirit of peace and unity. He saves them from 
all love of contention and strife. The love of God 



CHRISTIAN UNITY 169 

shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Spirit 
enables them to love one another with pure hearts 
fervently. They bear one another's burdens and 
so fulfill the law of Christ. The strong bear with 
the infirmities of the weak, and they, yea all of 
them, submit themselves to one another in the fear 
of God. They comfort the feeble-minded and sup- 
port the weak. They are interested in one an- 
other's spiritual and temporal interests and do not 
allow any of their number to become a public 
charge. To do so would be to put to shame all 
professions of brotherly love. They feel that all 
mere personal interests must be sacrificed, if nec- 
essary, to the maintenance of brotherly love and 
Christian charity. They think and let think, not 
wishing to force any theory or dogma down any 
man's throat. They reaHze that ** The servant of 
the Lord must not strive ; but be gentle unto all 
men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing 
them that oppose themselves." — II Tim. ii : 24, 25. 

"O may my lot be cast with these — 
The least of Jesus' witnesses; 
O that my Lord would count me meet 
To wash his dear disciples' feet. 
After my lowly Lord to go, 
And wait upon His saints below ; 
Enjoy the grace to Angels given, 
And serve the royal heirs of heaven." 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 



God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship 
him in spirit and in truth. — John iv : 24. 

But thou when thou pravest, enter into thy closet — 
Matt vi : 6. 

'T'HE disposition to worship is instinctive in man; 
and it is probable that no portion of the 
race has become so debased as to have entirely 
lost this inclination. EnHghtened reason agrees 
that the natural impulse is in accordance with it- 
self, and with man's place in. and relation to. the 
universe of intelligent beings. Worship is the 
proper attitude of a dependent being, that is, of a 
creature, toward its Creator, provided the creature 
has intelligence to perceive the relation. The pro- 
priet}' of worship can be denied only on the hypoth- 
esis that man is the product of blind chance, 
and so owes no gratitute nor service to any 
superior intelUgence. But this view of man's ori- 
gin is taken by few ; the great mass of mankind 
acknowledging themselves in debt to a higher power 

for life and all the blessings of Hfe. While the 
(170; 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 17 1 

inclination to worship is good in itself, it has been 
so perverted by ignorance and sin, that it has de- 
generated into a variety of harmful and debasing 
superstitions, and but a comparative few of man- 
kind have such a knowledge of the Creator as to 
be able to worship Him intelligently and accept- 
ably. To do this, however, must be a matter of 
supreme importance to creatures whose present and 
future interests are dependent upon the pleasure of 
the Creator. To know what will please, and what 
will displease Him, must be a matter of the great- 
est weight, and of the deepest soHcitude to us. 
The question asked by the prophet is one that 
appeals to every thoughtful man : " Wherewith 
shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself be- 
fore the high God? shall I come before him with 
burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will 
the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or 
with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give 
my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of 
my body for the sin of my soul?" — Micah vi : 
6, 7. Immediately after the fall of our first parents, 
God gave them a system of worship consisting 
principally of sacrificial offerings of slain beasts, to 
remind them of their need of a promised Savior. 
Cain undertaking to approach God without the 



172 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

shedding of blood was not accepted, as was his 
younger brother Abel, who offered victims from 
the flocks ; and thus originated the first religious 
quarrel, which resulted in the first murder. It is 
probable these sacrifices were accompanied by 
prayers for pardon and Divine favor. The system 
of sacrifice was much elaborated under the Mosaic 
code, but its nature remained the same. The great 
majority of the race, not liking to retain God in 
their knowledge, allowed their worship to degen- 
erate into the most debasing and disgusting idol- 
atries. They even offered human sacrifices to 
appease the wrath of their imaginary and sangui- 
nary deities, whom they had substituted for the 
only true and living God. Little children were 
cast alive into the arms of an intensely heated 
image in the worship of Moloch, while their cries 
were drowned by the sound of musical instruments. 
The Israelites were repeatedly warned against these 
cruel and idolatrous practices. It is even supposed 
by some commentators that Jephthah offered his 
only daughter to Jehovah as a burnt offering; 
but this is no doubt a misconception of the mat- 
ter, as he could not but have known that such an 
offering would have been abominable to God. It 
seems that her father devoted her to perpetual 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 1 73 

virginity in fulfillment of his vow, thus dooming 
his family to extinction, as she was his only child. 
The true worship of God was not understood even 
among the chosen people of God, but consisted 
in outward forms and ceremonies, observances im- 
posed upon men until the time of reformation. No 
doubt there was some true spiritual worship among 
those who were of faith, but the public worship 
was wholly formal and ceremonial. The items of 
time and place were essential in such worship ; and 
it could not be acceptable unless these points were 
strictly observed. Thus the question asked of 
Christ by the Samaritan woman as to the proper 
place of worship touched upon a vital matter under 
the law. This was because the worship was car- 
nal and not spiritual. The directions and regula- 
tions for such worship can have no bearing upon 
the worship of God in Spirit and in truth. " The 
law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by 
Jesus Christ." The law was but a shadow of the 
good things to come. It follows that all worship 
patterned after the Jewish system must be of the same 
nature, carnal and not spiritual ; and cannot therefore 
be acceptable to God, who must be worshiped in spirit 
and in truth. We will find prophetical allusions 
to true worship in the Old Testament writings, but 



174 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

for clear and satisfactory instruction on the sub- 
ject we must come to the New Testament. The 
answer to the question quoted from Micah gives 
us an inkhng of true worship. " He hath shewed 
thee, man, what is good ; and what doth the 
Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love 
mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" But 
as I have stated above, it is in the teachings of 
Christ and His Apostles that we must go for defi- 
nite instructions upon the subject of true, spiritual 
worship. 

Christian worship consists principally of prayer 
and praise. Some other exercises might be con- 
strued as being worship, for instance, fasting; as 
it is an exercise which has reference to God alone, 
and is classed with prayer in Christ's teachings, 
and the same directions are given with reference to 
its practice. But prayer and praise are the prin- 
cipal exercises in Christian worship. I shall first 
consider the subject of prayer, and shall endeavor 
to show what is its nature, and how it is to be 
practiced. 

It might be supposed that Httle could be said 
upon this subject that would be instructive, since 
everybody may be supposed to know what it is 
to pray. And I may astonish my readers when I 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 175 

assert that prayer is a very uncommon exercise. 
It is highly probable that many people never heard 
a prayer offered, and never prayed themselves. Say- 
ing prayers is a very common practice, and a very 
popular one also ; but it differs from praying in 
its whole nature. But most people confound the 
two things, supposing them to be the same. Real 
prayer is the offering up to God, in faith, in the 
name of Jesus, of those desires which have been 
inspired within us by the Holy Spirit. Three things 
then are essential to true prayer: ist, Desiies in- 
spired by the Holy Spirit; 2d, Faith; 3d, That 
these desires shall be offered in the name of Jesus. 
These are the only things essential to true prayer, 
prayer offered in spirit and in truth ; but it follows 
that there can be no real prayer without all these 
essentials. But in order that the necessity of these 
factors may not depend for proof upon my un- 
supported statement, I will give some Scripture 
quotations bearing upon the subject. And first 
that prayer must be inspired by the Holy Spirit, 
or, in other words, have the intercession of the 
Spirit, I will cite Rom. viii : 26, 27. "Likewise the 
Spirit also helpeth our infirmities ; for we know 
not what we should pray for as we ought, but the 
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groan- 



176 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

ings which cannot be uttered. And he that 
searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind 
of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for 
the saints, according to the will of God." *' For 
through him [Christ] we both have access by one 
Spirit unto the Father." — Eph. ii : 18. ''What is 
it then ? I will pray with the Spirit, and I will 
pray with the understanding also." — I Cor. xiv : 15. 
That faith is necessary to effectual prayer is most 
clearly stated. *' But without faith it is impossible 
to please him ; for he that cometh to God must 
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of 
them that diligently seek him." — Heb. xi : 6. "But 
let him ask in faith nothing wavering. For he that 
wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven of the 
wind and tossed. For let not that man think that 
he shall receive anything of the Lord." — James i : 
6, 7. ''Therefore I say unto you, what things so- 
ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye re- 
ceive them, and ye shall have them." — Mark xi : 
24. That prayer must be offered in the name of 
Jesus is established in the following passages : 
" For through him [Christ] we both have access 
by one Spirit unto the Father." — Eph. ii : 18. 
" Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name ; 
ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 177 

full." "At that day ye shall ask in my name." — 
John xvi: 24-26. ''Jesus sayeth unto him, I am 
the way, the truth, and the life : no man cometh 
unto the Father but by me." — John xiv : 6. 

Before proceeding further with the subject, I 
will mention some things which hinder prayer, or 
make it impossible. " If I regard iniquity in my 
heart, the Lord will not hear me." — Psalm Ixvi : 18. 
From this Scripture we learn that any attachment 
to sin makes prayer impossible. If there is any 
sin which I am not willing to surrender, it is folly 
for me to attempt to pray to God. He will not 
hear me because I am not honest in my approach 
to Him. What a large portion of mankind are 
thus shut out from the possibility of praying. How 
few there are who are willing to give up all sinful 
courses and practices. How few of those who call 
Jesus Lord will do the things that He commands. 
While this is the case, all their pretense of wor- 
shiping God is the baldest and most unmitigated 
hypocrisy. They draw nigh to God with their 
lips, and honor Him with their tongues, while their 
hearts are far from Him. Another hindrance to 
prayer is the want of a forgiving spirit. " If ye 
forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your 
Father forgive your trespasses." — Matt, vi : 15. 



178 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

is only the merciful who can expect mercy. An 
unforgiving spirit is a very common manifestation 
of the carnal mind. It seems to be impossible for 
some persons to forgive an injury, and it is diffi- 
cult for most unregenerate persons. To indulge 
malice and resentment toward those who have in- 
jured us is almost universal, but it excludes all 
who are guilty of such conduct from the number 
of those who can pray. These things being true, 
it is apparent that comparatively few are left who 
are competent to pray to God in the Spirit. As 
we are dependent upon the inspiration and inter- 
cession of the Holy Spirit to teach us to pray, 
and to give us access to the Father, it follows that 
none of those who deny this agency and personal 
teaching of the Spirit can come to God in prayer. 
There are many who take upon themselves the 
name of Christ who deny any direct teaching or 
intercession of the Holy Spirit. As there can be 
no real prayer without these helps, it follows that 
such people do not and cannot pray. That they 
do not is manifest from the absence of those open 
rewards which Christ promises to those who pray. 
Then there are those professing to be Christians 
who attempt to approach the Father without doing 
so in the name of the Son. As no man can come 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 1 79 

to the Father but by the Son, It follows that such 
persons do not pray. It may begin to appear upon 
what grounds I based the statement made awhile 
back, that real prayer is an exceptional exercise. 
Yet I do not see how we can escape this conclu- 
sion, if we believe what Jesus and His Apostles 
teach. If we do not believe what they teach, every- 
thing is uncertain, and we know nothing about the 
subject. We are at sea without rudder or com- 
pass. But I believe with Peter, that Jesus has the 
words of eternal life ; that by Him came grace and 
truth. To stand with Christ may seem to many 
as being illiberal and narrow, but I am afraid of 
a liberality that contradicts Christ, and charges 
Him with ignorance and want of magnanimity. 

There is one thing concerning Christian worship 
which seems to be overlooked ; that while much 
of the worship among nominal Christians is, and 
long has been, public, that Christ gives us no di- 
rections for pubHc worship among His people. 
Under the law, specific directions were given for 
the conduct of public worship, but under the Gospel 
no such directions are given. All of Christ's teach- 
ings on the subject are addressed to the individual, 
and none to the congregation. Worship under 
the Mosaic code was outward and formal and 



l8o CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

adapted to the great congregation, but under the 
Gospel it is inward and spiritual and it depends 
for its genuineness upon the state of heart of the 
individual worshiper. So under the present dis- 
pensation, no direction is given for the conduct of 
pubhc worship. The only exception to this state- 
ment that occurs to me is St. Paul's instruction to 
women concerning the impropriety of praying with 
uncovered heads. Just the opposite was the case 
under the former dispensation ; all instructions were 
concerning public congregational worship. It does 
not follow from this fact that there was no private 
worship under the law, or that there is no public 
worship under the Gospel, but it is nevertheless 
significant as showing what is the general rule that 
governs the matter of Christian worship. In carnal 
or formal worship, the essentials are of an outward 
and ceremonial nature, such as time and place, the 
attitude of the worshiper, etc. So we find that 
the Samaritan woman to whom Christ addressed 
His statement concerning the necessity of spiritual 
worship, was anxious as to the proper place of 
worshiping God. " Our Fathers worshiped in 
this mountain," said she, *'but ye say that in Jeru- 
salem is the place where men ought to worship." 
This was a living issue under the law, but Jesus 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP l«l 

informs her that it was about to become a dead 
one; that the place of worship is soon to become 
a matter of indifference. In spiritual worship, on 
the contrary, nothing is essential but the attitude 
of the soul toward God. Time or place, or the 
attitude of the body, or manner of speech, is a 
circumstance of no importance whatever. 

"Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, 

Uttered or unexpressed. 
The motion of a hidden fire 

That trembles in the breast. 
Prayer is the burden of a sigh, 

The falling of a tear; 
The upward glancing of an eye, 

When none but God is near." 

The Psalmist says, " Come let us worship and 
bow down ; let us kneel before the Lord our 
Maker." All this is appropriate and reverential, 
but it may all be done in the absence of real wor- 
ship. We do not worship God when we '' crook 
the pliant hinges of the knee," but when our wills 
are prostrate before God. There can be no wor- 
ship when there is anything contrary to submission 
to the will Divine in our wills. Under the law 
there was a place where men ought to worship, 
under the Gospel there in none such place. All 
places are alike to the worshiper in spirit and in truth. 
He has no shrines, no sacred places. Such things 



1 82 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

belong to a carnal religion. According to church 
history there was no distinctive places for Chris- 
tian worship during the first century of Christian- 
ity. They had no temple nor altars, and were for 
this reason accused by the pagans of being athe- 
ists. No such objections could be urged against 
modern Christians ; they do not lack for 
temples and altars. The building of such places is 
anti-Christian, and belongs either to Judaism or 
paganism ; but resembles paganism the more closely, 
since Judaism has but one temple, while nominal 
Christians, like the pagans, have many temples. 
That the building of temples is not done in the wor- 
ship of God is clear from the teachings of the New 
Testament. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, 
declares, "Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in 
temples made with hands." — Acts vii:48. In the 
hymn-book of the Methodist Episcopal denomina- 
tion (No. 859), we read: — 

" O Lord of hosts, whose glory fills 
The bounds of the eternal hills, 
And yet vouchsafes, in Christian lands, 
To dwell in temples made with hands." 

You v/ili perceive that they do not believe what 
Stephen said, and expect God to dwell in the 
houses w^hich they build. We do not read that 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 183 

God ever accepted of but one man-built temple, the 
one which Solomon built according to His direction 
and Jehovah took visible possession of it, dwelling 
between the cherubim. He has never authorized 
the building of any other temple, nor does He rec- 
ognize any other as belonging to Him. The prac- 
tice of dedicating buildings called churches is 
foreign to the genius and spirit of Christ's religion. 
St. Paul declares in that memorable sermon on 
Mar's Hill, *' God that made the world and all 
things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and 
earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 
neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though 
he needed anything, seeing that he giveth to all 
life, and breath and all things." — Acts xvii : 24, 
25. As modern Christians worship a God who 
dwelleth in man-made temples, and does need things 
which men can supply, it is evident that they do 
not worship the Unknown God whom Paul preached 
to the Athenians. To show that they do suppose 
that they are worshiping God in the erection of 
temples, I will quote another stanza of a hymn, 
(No. 869), of the M. E. collection:— 

"O thou, whose own vast temple stands, 
Built over earth and sea, 
Accept the walls which human hands 
Have raised to worship thee!" 



1 84 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Here again we see that these worshipers be- 
Heve in a God who is worshiped with men's 
hands as though He needed anything. He is not 
the Hving and true God, but a God of their own 
imagination, as were the gods worshiped in 
Athens when Paul preached there. The true God 
dwelleth only in human temples, as He saith, " I 
will dwell in them and walk in them." His peo- 
ple are ''builded together for an habitation of God 
through the Spirit." Their bodies are temples of 
the Holy Ghost. The temple at Jerusalem was a 
type of the glorified church of Christ, as the tab- 
ernacle on Mt. Zion was a type of the militant 
church. Since we have come to the spiritual Zion, 
the city of the living God, the Heavenly Jerusa- 
lem, we have no need of temples or altars. Chris- 
tians may have need of houses in which to meet 
for Divine service, but they are synagogues or meet- 
ing houses, not temples; yet the temple in Jeru- 
salem is always taken as the type of a meeting 
house, while it bears no resemblance to it whatever. 
When a synagogue or meeting-house is built, it 
is for our own convenience ; and it is in no other 
sense God's home than any other building is. To 
suppose it to be is superstition pure and simple. 
God protected His temple in Jerusalem, and only 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 185 

gave it up to destruction after the Israelites had 
apostatized. But it is patent to everybody that He 
does not protect these houses now professedly 
dedicated to His service, and presented to Him. 
The lightning, the storm, the tornado, the earth- 
quake is as likely to destroy such buildings as any 
other. And what a burlesque it is to build a 
house and give it to God, and then get it insured 
to protect it, as though God would not take care 
of His own property. Such people must feel that 
the Most High has little appreciation of their gift, 
after they, through much labor and self-sacrifice, 
have built him a house and presented it to Him, 
if He does not care enough for it to protect it from 
destruction, when He is abundantly able to do so. 
Is not the farce of the whole transaction plainly 
to be seen ? There is no sacredness belonging 
or attaching to any place in Christianity. Where 
two or three or more are gathered in the name 
of Christ, Jesus Himself being present with them, 
that is a sacred place. His people sit together 
in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. It is a sacred 
and heavenly place, because holy and heavenly 
people are in it. The people sanctify the place, 
not the place the people. When God's people 



1 86 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

depart from the place, it is no longer sacred. 
When God was manifest in the burning bush, it 
was holy ground all round about; but when God 
withdrew, it was holy no longer. So wherever 
God manifests Himself to His people, the place 
is for the time being holy; it may be a meet- 
ing house or a private dwelling, or a barn, or 
a stable, or a theatre, it matters not what. It 
is holy because God is manifestly there ; but when 
the Divine manifestation ceases, the place becomes 
common again. No priestly blessing, no sprink- 
ling of holy water, no ecclesiastical mummeries, 
can sanctify any place. Nothing but the mani- 
fest presence of God the Holy Spirit can make 
the change from profane to sacred. And this 
condition of sanctification can continue only where 
God continues to remain, or, in other words, where 
God dwells. He may manifest Himself in a tem- 
ple made with hands, but He will not dwell there. It 
is of His people He says, ''I will dwell in them." 
They are builded together for His "habitation," 
not for an edifice which He may occasionally visit. 
God's temple is His dweUing place, the place of 
His abode. All this belief in sacred edifices and 
consecrated grounds and holy shrines, is therefore 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 187 

idolatrous superstition, foreign to the pure religion 
of Jesus Christ. Writes Madame Guyon : — 

" To me remains no time nor space ; 
My country is in every place. 
For regions none remote I call, 
Secure of finding God in all." 

To the true Christian all places are alike in 
the worship of God. 

The same is true of times as of places. As 
the Christian has no special place to pray, so he 
has no particular time set apart for worship. It 
can have no importance in spiritual worship, since 
the essentials of such worship are interior and 
spiritual. So Jesus gives no instruction as to how 
often His people should pray, nor do His Apostles. 
There is not a hint given on the subject. Con- 
sequently those who undertake to supply this sup- 
posed lack, by instructing Christians when and how 
often to pray, are teaching for doctrines the com- 
mandments of men. And Jesus declares, *'But in 
vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines 
the commandments of men." — ^Matt. xv: 9. Since 
all true worship depends upon the inspiration of 
the Blessed Spirit, it follows that before we can carry 
out any prescribed program, we must secure His 
cooperation. But all attempts so far made to put 



1 88 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

the Holy Spirit into leading strings have signally 
failed. He will not be bound by human rules and 
regulations. We cannot manage Him, but must 
consent to His leading us, " For as many as are 
led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of 
God." To pray by rule is a very easy way of 
dispensing with the Holy Spirit entirely. If we 
know just when we will pray and what for, what 
need have we for any leading of the Spirit? 
Neither will the Lord, generally, lead us in a uni- 
form manner, as it naturally tends to formality and 
dead works. If the Lord were to lead me to do 
anything the same way repeatedly, I would be in 
danger of continuing to do the thing that way 
without being led. Habits are dangerous things 
in the worship of God, because they lead us to 
forget to depend upon Divine guidance. Because 
a certain course of action has been blessed to me 
to-day, does not prove that it will be a blessing 
to-morrow. God commanded the Israelites to de- 
stroy the brazen serpent which had been such an 
instrument of salvation to them when bitten by 
serpents, because they were about to idolize it. So 
God will have us to abandon to-day what He gave 
us as a means of good yesterday, lest we attach 
importance to that which is only an instrument of 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 189 

spiritual benefit. He wishes to keep our eye fixed 
upon Himself alone, as the source of all good. He 
can accomplish the same end in a great variety of 
ways. 

" Deep in unfathomable mines 
Of never-failing skill, 
He treasures up His bright designs, 
And works His sovereign will." 

It must be clear to all, then, that all human 
rules laid down for the regulation of the worship 
of Christians, really tend to relieve them of de- 
pendence on the teachings and leadings of the 
Holy Spirit. They are therefore not only unnec- 
essary but dangerous. But some one may suggest 
that he supposes that a Christian can pray at any 
time. Are we not commanded to pray without 
ceasing? No doubt we are commanded, but I 
do not suppose the Apostle intended that we 
should understand him as meaning that we should 
pray continuously, without interruption. He no 
doubt means what Jesus does when He declares 
that " Men ought always to pray and not to faint." 
But Christ's illustration of the poor widow beseech- 
ing the unjust judge for justice, does not carry out 
the idea of never-ending prayer. When she got 
a favorable answer, she quit praying. The Apostle 
Paul probably means only that we should never 



190 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

abandon the practice of praying. Prayer in the 
technical and proper sense cannot be continuous, 
for then could we do nothing else, but would be 
condemned to unceasing sleepless vigil. Taking 
the words in that sense would be to make the 
Apostle give impracticable and foolish directions 
destructive of sanit}' and even of life. Yet there is a 
qualified sense in which we may be said to pray 
unceasingly. It is in that attitude of soul which, 
in full submission to God's will, continually sa}-s, 
''Thy will be done.'' Yet this is not prayer in 
the full sense, as there is not necessarih' any con- 
currence of the understanding, and real prayer is 
with the Spirit and with the understanding also. 
Some persons fear that if they do not pray b}' 
rule, according to a prearranged program of times 
and seasons, they will cease to pray altogether. 
While under God's instructions on this subject, 
earl}- in my Christian experience, I was possessed 
by this same fear. I will admit that a rule is 
essential for saying prayers. If we do not have a 
regular time for saying pra}-er5, we are likely to 
forget to attend to the matter, and will finally 
abandon the practice entirely, perhaps. But this 
is a matter of no consequence, and one which I 
am not considering here. If all formal making of 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 1 91 

prayers were to cease at once the world over, no 
real harm would be done, and it might be pro- 
ductive of some good. The shock might be a real 
benefit. I read recently of an insane patient who 
was struck a violent blow on the head by a fel- 
low patient in the hospital, and when he recovered 
consciousness, reason had resumed its sway. It 
would not be advisable to adopt that system of 
cure generally, however. But will Christians cease 
to pray if they do not pray by program ? Are 
they in any such danger? I answer that healthy 
people are in the same danger of ceasing to eat, 
if they do not eat by rule. To miss one meal is 
not likely to make a man more inclined to neglect 
the next one. It is true that the recurring de- 
mands for food are tolerably regular in a healthy 
man, nevertheless he eats, or should eat, because 
he is hungry, not because the clock strikes a 
certain hour. To eat without hunger is to invite 
indigestion. On the same principle Christians pray; 
because they desire something. ''What things so- 
ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye 
receive them, and ye shall have them." Our Lord 
supposes His people to pray because they de- 
sire something definite. If they did not have a 
definite desire they would not, could not pray. 



192 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

This desire for some good thing, inspired within 
them by the Holy Spirit, will prompt them 
to ask for it, just as hunger prompts us to take 
food. The practice of asking for a multiplicity 
of things without specially desiring anything, is 
not prayer and will evoke no answer. In fact, an 
answer is not expected. If God were to grant peo- 
ple what they ask for when they pretend to pray, 
they would be overwhelmed with astonishment. 
We are therefore in no danger of ceasing to pray 
so long as an indwelling Spirit inspires us with de- 
sires for good things our Father wishes to give to 
us. If we no longer have these spiritual prompt- 
ings, we have lost the power to pray. We may 
have natural desires for things which appear to be 
for our advantage, but we will not be able to pray 
for these things, though we may ask for them. 
" Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss, that 
ye may consume it upon your lusts." — James iv : 
3. We always ask amiss unless taught by the 
Holy Spirit to know what is the will of God. "And 
this is the confidence that we have in him, that if 
we ask anything according to his will he heareth 
us ; and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we 
ask, we know that we have the petitions that we de- 
sired of him." — John v: 14, 15. As we cannot 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 193 

foreknow when the Spirit within us will move us to 
pray by inspiring us with desire for some special 
blessing, so we cannot determine beforehand when 
we will pray, nor how often; and to follow man- 
made rules in praying is to ignore the Holy Spirit 
and His leadings, and thus lay the foundation for 
dead formalism. Nor can we follow the example 
of any other person, however much confidence we 
may have in his spirituality, since we can have no 
assurance that God will lead us just as He may 
have led him. But we should keep our ears open 
to the voice of the Spirit of God within us, that we 
may not miss the good He would move us to pray 
for. We are told that we sometimes miss blessings 
God is willing to bestow, because we fail to ask for 
them. *'Ye receive not because ye ask not," says 
the Apostle James (iv:2). We allow ourselves 
to be too much engrossed with outward things, and 
thus quench the Spirit. If the Spirit is not grieved, 
these desires will often become intense, and the 
intercession of the Spirit will be ''with groanings 
which cannot be uttered." No doubt every Chris- 
tian has experienced these intense longings, these 
vehement desires, which language could not ade- 
quately express. Such prayers are prevailing, for they 

will not be denied. They are the fervent effectual 
c.c— 13 



194 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

prayers of the righteous man which avail much. 
Yet it is not necessary in order to prevaiHng prayer 
that there should be such intense desire. Some of 
the most signal answers to prayer I have ever ex- 
perienced were responses to very simple, momentary, 
requests. God acts as a Sovereign in these matters 
and does as pleases Him. We conclude that place 
and time are of no importance in spiritual worship, 
and that the Christian must be left free from man- 
made rules, to follow the leadings of the Holy 
Spirit. 

Among the Jews of Jesus' day three things were 
principally depended on for a reputation for piety 
and sanctity ; praying, or making prayers, fasting, 
and almsgiving. The Pharisee who prayed in the 
temple, according to Christ's statement, boasted of 
fasting twice in the week. These sectaries also found 
fault with the Disciples of Christ because they did 
not imitate their example, evidently considering them 
lacking in religious zeal. They came to Christ say- 
ing, ** Why do the disciples of John fast often, and 
make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the 
Pharisees; but thine eat and drink." — Luke v:33. 
Matthew says it was the disciples of John who asked 
the question. But the point is that Jesus' Disciples 
were not taught to do either of these things, thus 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 195 

appearing to be comparatively irreligious in the 
view of their contemporaries. In the Mohammedan 
religion also these three forms of service are most 
prominent. Five times a day when the muezzin 
calls for prayers from his place on the mosque, 
every faithful moslem falls upon his knees with his* 
face toward Mecca, the holy city, and offers up 
prayers, no matter where he may be or what he 
may be doing. The moslem does not fast twice 
each week, but during the whole of one month 
each year, during which period he receives no 
nourishment during the whole day until after the 
sun goes down. Alms-giving is also practiced as 
a requirement of his religion. Buddhism, too, the 
most prevalent religion of the Orient, teaches its 
devotees to acquire sanctity by the same practices. 
The Buddhist who wishes to gain a reputation for 
sainthood, fasts, and otherwise afflicts his body, un- 
til he becomes emaciated, and drones his prayers 
over and over. And though he does not give alms 
himself, having taken a vow of poverty, he becomes 
a mendicant, and furnishes other people an oppor- 
tunity to acquire merit by giving alms to him. 
These three practices, being the chief sources of 
merit in other rehgions, and the chief means for 
gaining a reputation for piety, the Lord Jesus gives 



196 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Special directions concerning their observance by 
his Disciples. And it is clear from what He com- 
mands, that He does not intend that the reputation 
for piety, of His people, should be gained from the 
practice of these duties. He commands them to 
'let their light so shine before men that they may 
see their good works ; and declares that God no 
more hides the light of the church than a house- 
holder does the hght of a candle. He puts His 
church on high for universal inspection, like a city 
upon a hill which cannot be hid. But He declares 
that their righteousness must exceed the righteous- 
ness of the Scribes and Pharisees. It exceeds not 
so much in its extent as in its nature. It is of a 
nature wholly superior to theirs. It is not the 
Christian's righteousness which men see, but the 
fruits of it. His righteousness is interior and spir- 
itual, and its fruits are such as spring from no 
other source and are inimitable. In outward right- 
eousness derived from the performance of religious 
duties and observances, hypocrites and Pharisees 
can compete with Christians for recognition. These 
classes can say prayers, give alms, and fast oft, and 
observers might not be able to detect the difference 
between them and real saints in the manner of do- 
ing these things. By these means God's children 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 197 

could not be certainly known or distinguished. 
They are to be recognized therefore by the fruits of 
the Spirit, which are enumerated by the Apostle Paul 
in Gal. v: 22, 23: "Now the fruit of the Spirit is 
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, 
faith, meekness, temperance." By these holy tem- 
pers and dispositions exhibited before men, are 
Christians to let their light shine, that men may 
see their good works. But worship is a matter be- 
tween the soul and God, and is not to be put on 
exhibition. Therefore our Lord directs concerning 
prayer, "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not 
be as the hypocrites are ; for they love to pray 
standing in the synagogues and in the corners of 
the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily 
I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, 
when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when 
thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which 
is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret 
shall reward thee openly." These instructions are 
sufftciently explicit, so that there need be no mis- 
understanding of His meaning. Yet it is well for 
us to distinguish the essential points in these direc- 
tions, and to understand them in a spiritual rather 
than a literal sense. The first point is that we 
should not parade our worship before men's eyes. 



198 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Secondly, that we should have no desire to be seen 
or heard of men when we pray. That these de- 
sires for publicity are hypocritical, and vitiate the 
whole service, since our eye is not single. It fol- 
low^s that any thought concerning spectators or 
auditors, as to their opinions favorable or unfavor- 
able concerning us or our prayers, will make us 
like the hypocrites. As it is a very difficult thing 
for us to pray before others without having our 
minds distracted by self-conscious thoughts, which 
will render abortive our attempts to worship in 
spirit and in truth. The Lord has directed us to 
do our praying in secret. With our closet door 
shut, and the gaze of men excluded, our minds 
may be the more easily concentrated on God. It 
is not necessary that those for whom we pray 
should hear us pray. Our Father will give the 
open answer. We are nowhere taught that others 
are to be influenced by hearing us pray, much less, 
that we should seek thus to influence them. God 
may use the overhearing of a Christian prayer to 
the good of another, but he cannot thus design 
it himself without praying to be heard of men. The 
idea that we must hear a man pray in order to be 
convinced as to his Christian standing, is therefore 
both unscriptural and absurd. But though the 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 1 99 

Christian is commanded to do his praying in secret, 
yet we are not to understand that he is necessarily 
confined to a Hteral closet. This would be to make 
a place of prayer essential, which has been shown 
to be contrary to the nature of real worship. The 
closet with its door is to be taken figuratively, as 
representing a spiritual condition. If we were to 
insist on a literal interpretation, it would involve us 
in difhculties. What would those do who are poor, 
like the Master, who had no place of abode ? They 
could never pray because of the lack of a proper 
place, a closet with a door to be shut. Then again 
it would be necessary, however great the emergency, 
to refrain from prayer until the closet was reached. 
These considerations, with others not necessary to 
mention, convince us that a literal interpretation of 
Christ's language is unreasonable and therefore in-^ 
admissible. The Christian carries the closet with him 
continually, and wherever he may be, he can enter 
it and pray to his Father who seeth in secret. As 
Charles Wesley has beautifully written : — 

"To the desert or the cell 

Let others blindly fly; • 
In this evil world I dwell, 

Unhurt, unspotted I. 
Here I find a house of prayer, 

To which I inwardly retire ; 
Walking unconcerned in care, 

And unconsumed in fire. 



200 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

"Thou, O Lord, in tender love 

Dost all my burdens bear; 
Lift my heart to things above, 

And fix it ever there. 
Calm on tumult's wheel I sit. 

Midst busy multitudes alone ; 
Sweetly waiting at Thy feet, 

Till all Thy will be done." 

It is not necessary for the Christian to immure 
himself in a cloister, or to seek a hermit's cell, in 
order to find a house of prayer, or to separate 
himself from the world. Surrounded by multitudes 
of his fellows, he can be alone with God, shut in 
from distracting influences in that invisible closet, 
where the Father can be worshiped in spirit and 
in truth. 

It might seem at first glance that since Christ 
has commanded His people to pray in secret when 
they pray, that it would never be allowable to pray 
where we could be seen or heard. But I think 
a further consideration of the subject will convince 
us that this is a mistaken conclusion. It is not 
the fact that we are seen or heard praying that is 
reprehensible, but the motive which leads us to 
seek to be seen or heard. That privacy is the 
rule in praying among Christians is evident from 
Christ's language. But there may be, and are, 
exceptions to the rule. Christians are sometimes 
led to pray in public ; but they do it in such a 



vSPIRITUAL WORSHIP 20I 

manner as not to violate the prohibition against 
praying to be seen of men. Through the inter- 
cession of the Spirit, their hearts are so drawn out 
after God as to make them obHvious of, and 
thoughtless concerning, their surroundings ; other- 
wise their prayers would be hindered and rendered 
abortive. But to make a show of praying to ex- 
hibit our piety, or because it is customary, or 
expected of us, is to do as the hypocrites do. 

Another item of instruction concerning the 
manner of praying is found in verses seven and 
eight of the sixth chapter of Matthew, *' But when 
ye pray use not vain repetitions, as the heathen 
do : for they thmk that they shall be heard for 
their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like 
unto them : for your Father knoweth what things 
ye have need of, before ye ask him." This pro- 
hibition of vain repetitions may be violated in 
various ways, to some of which I will advert. 
First, we may disobey it by always repeating the 
same form of prayer. It matters not whether this 
form is written or printed, or whether it is merely 
memorized. It seems to me that the use of pre- 
scribed forms of prayer is a denial of the Holy 
Spirit, and destructive of true worship. It partakes 
of the nature of that formal worship which character- 



202 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

ized the Jewish age, and is utterly opposed to the 
simplicity of spiritual worship. But it is not nec- 
essary that we should have prayer-books in order to 
have stereotyped forms of prayer. Among those 
sects who reject printed forms of prayer as papistic, 
there is much formal repetition. In fact most 
persons who pray in public fall into such formality, 
if they do not actually compose a form of prayer 
and commit it to memory. They learn to pray by 
hearing others, and copy their expressions, whether 
they understand the meaning of them or not; and 
they acquire the habit of repeating the same prayer 
substantially if not literally on all occasions. So 
true is this that those who attend prayer-meetings 
regularly can learn by rote the prayers of their 
brethren. I know from the experience of my 
youth, that these things are true. Many of the 
brethren repeated their prayers word for word on 
every occasion. They might as well have read 
them out of a book; and had they used a prayer- 
book, their prayers would have had the merit of 
much greater appropriateness and beauty of dic- 
tion, and they would have been equally as effica- 
cious. Sometimes persons in endeavoring to copy 
expressions which they had heard another use in 
prayer, which struck their fancy, and the meaning 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 203 

of which they did not understand, have failed to 
quote correctly, and have made ludicrous blunders. 
Several instances of this kind have come under my 
own observation. All these cases referred to above 
certainly belong to the category of **vain repeti- 
tions." They are vain or empty ; empty of the 
Spirit, empty of power with God, empty of results, 
being always unanswered. 

Another sense in which we may use vain repe- 
titions is in repeating the same petition again and 
again, supposing that there is multipHed merit and 
efficacy in adding to the number of our prayers. 
In other words, it is the error of supposing that 
in praying it is quantity that counts. This, our 
Lord gives us to understand, is not true. Our 
Father does not need any information as to our 
wants, nor does He, like the unjust judge, need im- 
portunity to make Him willing to grant our request. 
He moves us to pray for what He wishes to bestow. 

"Prayer is appointed to convey 
The blessings God designs to give." 

It is not necessary to tease Him to make Him 
willing to bestow blessings. Such a view dishonors 
God. If there is call for importunity, it is because 
we are not sufficiently in earnest to take hold at 
once upon the promise set before us. If we are 



204 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

ready to pray, God is ready to give. It may re- 
quire a struggle on our part to get into the proper 
attitude for prayer, but when we reach that place, 
heaven and earth come together. When the Popish 
priest requires of a penitent a certain number of 
''Pater Nosters " and "Ave Marias" as a penance 
for his sins, it seems as though he commanded 
these vain repetitions simply because Jesus forbids 
it. It is an illustration of how far men may wan- 
der from first principles in religion. When the 
Buddhist counts his beads to keep record of his 
prayers, I cannot see how it is any more a heathen- 
ish practice than when the Papist does the same 
thing. The wearing of a rosary to count prayers 
on, as though they were efficacious in proportion 
to their numbers, is an antichristian and heathen- 
ish superstition. But Protestants are not guiltless 
on this point. The same superstitious idea prevails 
among them, though they have not yet carried it 
to such lengths. They have the same notion of 
the efificacy of quantity in prayer. The opinion is 
general, judging from the language used, that a 
great deal of an inferior quality of praying is equal 
to a little of a superior quality. It cannot be de- 
nied that one prayer offered in the Spirit, with 
faith, will bring an answer. But it is hoped that 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 205 

many prayers not thus offered will accomplish the 
same result. Thus I have often heard the remark 
made by ministers to professed Christians, ** It will 
take a great deal of praying to bring a revival of 
religion." Why so ? Why may not one prayer 
do it ? We are told that when Peter and John, 
after being scourged by the Jewish rulers, returned 
to their brethren and reported what had taken 
place, that the whole company offered one short 
prayer, and the entire place where they sat was 
shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy 
Ghost. Why should not one prayer suffice to bring 
such a result now ? Why should it be necessary to 
do a great deal of praying ? Is it not an attempt 
to substitute quantity for quality, supposing that 
they will at last be heard for their much speak- 
ing ? The fervent, effectual prayer of the righteous 
man availeth much ; but if one prayer does not 
avail, no number of the same kind will be more 
successful. It is like the mathematical process of 
adding naughts. But some one may here suggest 
that our Lord had given, in connection with His 
instructions on the subject of prayer, a form of 
prayer for our imitation. This is true. But although 
Matthew places this prayer in connection with this 
sermon, Luke tells us in chapter xi: i, that it was 



2o6 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

given by request of His Disciples. And though we 
may learn many things from this form of prayer, 
it was never intended that we should repeat it, and 
thus use vain repetitions. John the Baptist had 
given his disciples a form of prayer, and Christ's 
Disciples, feeling their ignorance on the subject, 
asked Christ to do the same for them. We must 
remember that these Disciples were not yet in pos- 
session of an indwelling Spirit to teach them to 
pray. Christ, at their request, gave them an out- 
line of prayer, since they did not know what they 
should pray for as they ought. But this was for 
their special benefit. We are instructed that in 
our ignorance of what to pray for, we are to de- 
pend upon the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and 
not upon any prescribed form. That this form of 
prayer was not intended to be used by God's 
spiritual people is evident from another consider- 
ation. It has one fatal defect. Under the Gospel 
dispensation we are instructed to ask everything in 
Jesus' name. This was not done until after the 
atonement was made. It was then that Jesus be- 
came our advocate. Just before His betrayal and 
crucifixion, Jesus said to His Disciples, "Hitherto 
ye have asked nothing in my name : ask and re- 
ceive that your joy may be full." — John xvi : 24. 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 207 

But in this prayer given them for their guidance 
before the gift of the Holy Spirit, and consequently 
before Christ's ascension, they are not instructed 
to ask in the name of Jesus. But no prayer is 
now acceptable if not offered in Jesus' name. But 
though this prayer was not given for our use, as 
has been said already, much instruction on the 
subject of prayer may be drawn from it, but I will 
not take the present opportunity to enlarge upon 
this point. All forms of prayer memorized and 
repeated become vain repetitions, and should con- 
sequently be avoided. We should neither use them 
ourselves nor teach them to our children. It re- 
quires the same Divine teacher to instruct our 
children as to instruct us, and He is just as ready 
to help them as to help us. Many things have 
very pious appearances that are abhorrent to God. 
It is often as important for us to avoid the ap- 
pearance of good as the appearance of evil. We 
want that which is good, and not that which 
appears so. 

We worship God in praise as well as in prayer ; 
and though the same general principles apply to 
both, it may be well to consider the subject of 
praise at some length. There is much less said 
on this theme than about prayer. In Heb. xiii : 



2o8 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

15 we read, "By him therefore let us offer the 
sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the 
fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." There 
is much said in the Psalms concerning the praise 
of God, most of which may apply to the present 
age. In Psalm 1 : 22 it is written, '' Whoso offereth 
praise glorifieth God." There are in general three 
ways of praising God : by testimony, by ejacula- 
tions, and by singing. By telling what the Lord 
has done for our souls, we give Him praise and 
bring Him glory. This is the duty and privilege 
of all God's children. But in order that our testi- 
mony should be really to the praise of God, it 
must be given in the Spirit. We just as much 
need the Spirit of praise as the Spirit of prayer. 
Some persons imagine that their duty to God re- 
quires them to testify for him on all occasions, and 
at every opportunity. This is a grave error, and 
leads to evil consequences. Saints do not always 
have the Spirit of praise, and consequently cannot 
always speak to the glory of God. But having 
mistaken notions as to their duty, they are liable 
to endeavor to simulate a spirit which they do not 
really possess. This is very grieving to God, and 
is likely to lead to self-deception. It is hypocrisy 
to act in such a way. It is like the sin of Nadab 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 209 

and Abihu, who offered strange fire before the 
Lord, and were punished by death for their trans- 
gression. We must beware of striving to imitate 
the work of the Holy Spirit, who alone can inspire 
true praise in our hearts. In order that our testi- 
mony may be to God's praise, all appearance of 
boasting or of self-complacency must be avoided, 
that all glory may be given to God, to whom 
it belongs. It was the Pharisees who trusted in 
themselves that they were righteous, and despised 
others ; and spiritual pride will ever manifest such 
self-complacency. True piety is always humble 
and self-depreciating, and is as far as possible re- 
moved from a boasting spirit. A mere habit of 
testimony leads to deadness and barrenness, and 
though men may endeavor to supply the lack of 
spiritual life by rant and noise, it will not be to 
edification. Thus many improprieties and follies 
are ascribed to the Holy Spirit, which are the re- 
sult of human effort to conceal, or to supply. His 
absence. Satan endeavors by every means to cover 
with reproach, and to bring into contempt, the 
doctrine of the Spirit's leadings, so that he may 
keep professed Christians practicing dead works. 
Saints should carefully guard against giving the 

devil aid and countenance in this effort, 
c.c. — 14 



2IO CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Ejaculatory praise is supposed to come from an 
overflowing heart. It is when the fire burns within 
until the emotions are hard to repress, that the 
inhabitant of Zion is expected to cry out and 
shout. Such praise is very effective when it is 
genuine. It is especially characteristic of emo- 
tional natures, and while the spirits of the prophets 
are subject to the prophets, it seems quite proper 
that we should not quench this Spirit of praise. 
Oriental peoples were given to exaggerated ex- 
pressions of the emotions of either joy or grief; but 
there is that in the manifestations of God to the 
human soul that will stir the most phlegmatic, so 
that the cup of their joy will overflow. While the 
fire burns the emotions are liable to boil over. 
When the Lord, according to His promise, when 
all the tithes are in, pours out a blessing that there 
is not room to contain, there must be a running 
over. This is well. Let saints rejoice with joy 
unspeakable and full of glory. But let them at 
the same time see to it that this is spontaneous, 
not forced. Spontaniety is the soul of praise. 
When the cup is tipped that it may overflow and 
it is seen that praise is the result of effort, the one 
step is taken from the sublime to the ridiculous. 
Nothing falls more flat than stale praise. It is 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 21 1 

obnoxious to God and offensive to men. Yet 
among religious people praise often degenerates 
into a habit. This is particularly true among those 
who are uncommonly rehgious. They learn to in- 
terlard their religious conversation, and sometimes 
also their ordinary speech, with pious ejaculations 
and exclamations, such as '* Bless the Lord," " Praise 
Jesus," etc. This has a very religious sound, and 
is likely to give them a reputation for extraordinary 
devotedness. Verily, they have their reward. I 
once heard a man preach, who, when apparently at 
a loss for anything else to say, would exclaim, 
** Praise Jesus." He seemed to use the expres- 
sion for filling a gap, as some story-tellers do a 
long-drawn ''and." It impressed me much as 
would the conversation of a profane man who inter- 
lards his speech with oaths, and it was equally a 
profanation of the name of the Lord. Let saints 
beware how they neglect to hallow the name of 
the Father or of His son Jesus Christ. Real praise 
is ** comely," but this is uncomely. 

We may worship God by singing his praises. 
Yet not all singing is praise ; some hymns are 
prayers. This is the only form of praise concern- 
ing which any specific instrihction is given. The 



212 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Apostle Paul says, "I will sing with the Spirit, 
and I will sing with the understanding also." — I 
Cor. xiv: 15. And in another place, ''Speaking 
to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual 
songs, singing and making melody in your heart 
to the Lord. — Eph. v: 19. And James writes, ''Is 
any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any 
merry? let him sing psalms." — James iv : 13. We 
gather from these Scriptures that the help of the 
Holy Spirit is as necessary in the praise of God 
as in prayer. It is not the music that is the es- 
sential thing in Christian praise. If we make 
melody in our hearts, it is not of so much con- 
sequence whether we make melody with our voices 
or not, though of course vocal melody is no hin- 
drance. God's people cannot praise God by proxy, 
either through an instrument, or by means of a 
choir of ungodly persons, paid for their labor or 
unpaid. I can but agree with Mr. John Wesley 
that an organ in a congregation of Christian wor- 
shipers is unobjectionable, if neither seen nor heard. 
But where there is no spirit of worship, men may 
as well fail to worship God through a pipe organ 
as any other way. The organ, at all events, can- 
not lie to God, which the congregation might do, 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 213 

if they attempted to do the worshiping themselves. 
The essential thing is the spirit of praise, which is 
wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, who dwells in 
all the saints. Those things which are generally 
considered accessories to worship are mostly hin- 
drances. In the primitive church it is said that 
it was a common practice for the singer to impro- 
vise his song as he sang it, and the tune also ; and 
thus he was enabled to sing his own sentiments. 
This practice long ago went out of use, and we 
sing the sentiments and language of others. But 
to sing with the Spirit, we must make the senti- 
ments of the hymn our own. They must therefore 
be appropriate to the occasion and to the spiritual 
state of the singer. There are many songs and 
hymns among which we may choose, yet some- 
times we can find none that will adequately ex- 
press our feelings, desires, and aspirations. There 
are some persons who will sing nothing but some 
version of the Psalms of David, considering them 
to be the only inspired lyrics. But some of the 
hymns of Watts and Wesley and others seem to 
be truly inspired by the Holy Spirit, and they 
appeal with great force to spiritual minds. Charles 
Wesley's hymns, in particular, seem instinct with 



2 14 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

holy rapture, and they carry the singer on wings 
of faith and love quite to the gates of heaven. 
These old hymns are full of the very marrow of 
the Gospel, and will be cherished by the spiritually 
minded so long as the language endures. One of 
the significant signs of spiritual declension is the 
neglect of these hymns so prevalent at the present 
time, and the choice of light and frothy productions, 
containing little sense and less experience, but full 
of jingle, which appeals to the carnal taste. There 
is little spiritual food in these songs, for real saints. 
Christians, especially such as have a natural taste 
for music, need to be constantly on their guard 
against the charms of music, that their natural en- 
joyment of harmony may not take the place of 
spiritual worship. It is imagined that the deep 
solemn tones of the pipe organ naturally dispose 
the hearers to the worship of God. This is a 
grave mistake. Instrumental music appeals to the 
imagination and the natural sentiments, and though 
it may move us deeply, it does not move us 
toward God. Its effects are purely natural, and 
not in any degree supernatural or spiritual. So 
God's people should be careful not to confound 
these natural emotions with spiritual rapture, and 



SPIRITUAL WORSHIP 215 

not to substitute the one for the other. Charles 
Wesley has appropriately expressed this danger in 
a stanza of one of his hymns: — 

"Still let us on our guard be found, 

And watch against the power of sound 

With ceaseless jealousy, 

Lest, haply, sense should damp our zeal 

And music's charms bewitch, and steal 
Our hearts away from Thee." 

There is nothing that more powerfully appeals 
to the human heart than singing done in the Spirit. 
It is therefore not only a delightful mode of wor- 
shiping God, but a powerful adjunct to Gospel 
work. But when it lacks the power of the Spirit, 
it is but sounding brass and tinkling cymbal ; and 
though the melody may be entertaining and the 
harmony perfect, no effect will be produced upon 
the hearts of the hearers. Their artistic tastes may 
be gratified, and pleasure afforded, but their con- 
sciences will remain unawakened and their moral 
natures untouched. Too little attention, even among 
spiritual people, is given to this subject. It is too 
often the case that singing is used to pass the 
time, or to gratify the ear. 

Since the Father is seeking spiritual worshipers 
and none others are acceptable to him, how im- 
portant that we should learn this lesson. Carnal 
worship abounds. The number of those who give 



2l6 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

him lip service while their hearts go after their 
covetousness, is multiplied. Costly temples, con- 
secrated fanes lift their pointed spires to heaven 
on every hand. Sweet- toned bells awaken the 
echoes, frequently calling men to the worship of 
God. But how few are found who are of a hum- 
ble and of a contrite spirit, and tremble at God's 
word. But to only such will He look, to no others 
will response be given. 

"Vainly we offer each ample oblation, 

Vainly with gifts would His favor secure; 
Richer by far is the heart's adoration, 

Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor." 

May the Lord graciously teach His people how 
to worship Him in spirit and in truth. 



CONVERSION 



Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye 
shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. — Matt, xviii : 3. 

'T^HE term ''conversion" is popularly used to ex- 
press the change which takes place in men 
when they become the children of God. It is, 
however, used very indefinitely, different persons 
meaning different things in the use of the word ; so 
that when you hear it said that some person is 
converted, you do not know just what sense the 
speaker attaches to the expression. Nor is the 
term used with precision in the Scriptures. It 
sometimes seems to refer to the work of repent- 
ance, and at other times may refer to the expe- 
rience of the new birth ; in other places it may be 
understood as including both. The original Greek 
word signifies to turn, turn about, or to change. 
The verb is commonly used in the middle voice, 
in which the actor acts upon himself, and may be 
translated, ** turn yourselves." In the text of Scrip- 

(217) 



2l8 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

ture quoted above, it seemed to refer to the work 
of regeneration, which is necessary to admit us into 
the kingdom of heaven. By the expression, "king- 
dom of heaven " is meant the Gospel church. The 
Apostles were anxious as to who should have the 
highest place in that kingdom which Christ came 
to set up, and which was declared to be at hand ; 
and it is the necessary qualifications for admission 
into this kingdom that Jesus here promulgates. 
Now our opinions may differ as to what constitutes 
true conversion, or as to the essential prerequisites 
to membership in Christ's kingdom ; but if we can 
ascertain what Christ teaches upon the subject, all 
controversy should be set at rest. Our opinions 
are often the result of tradition and false teaching. 
Hence if we can lay them aside for the time, and 
institute an inquiry into the teachings of the Scrip- 
tures, we may arrive at the truth concerning the 
matter. 

I shall consider the subject under four heads. 
First, The persons to whom the language was ad- 
dressed. Second, The experiences of which they 
were already possessed. Third, The evidences they 
gave of a need of conversion. Fourth, The time 
when they were converted and the nature of that 
change. 



CONVERSION 219 

I. The context shows that the language was 
addressed to the Disciples or Apostles. **At that 
time came the Disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is 
the greatest in the kingdom of heaven ? "< — Matt, 
xviii : i . We learn from other Scriptures that there 
was quite a controversy among the twelve on this 
question. In Mark ix : 33, 34, it is recorded: "And 
he came to Capernaum : and being in the house he 
asked them, What was it that ye disputed among 
yourselves by the way? But they held their peace; 
for by the way they had disputed among them- 
selves, who should be the greatest." In Luke 
xxii : 24, we are told, ''And there was also a strife 
among them, which of them should be accounted 
the greatest." As they could not decide the mat- 
ter among themselves, they referred the case to 
Jesus. There was probably too many candidates 
among them for the first place to make the decision 
easy. As Dr. Adam Clarke suggests in his com- 
mentary, this ought to dispose of the claim that 
Peter was the prince of the Apostles. His fellow 
Apostles seem to have been ignorant of any such 
primacy on his part. It is to these chosen Apostles 
that Jesus says, " Except ye be converted, ye shall 
not enter into the kingdom of heaven." They are 
probably as yet ignorant of their unfitness for the 



2 20 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

heavenly kingdom. They had not yet learned to 
know themselves. They did not yet know the truth 
and were not yet made free. Jesus said to those 
who believed on Him as He taught, " If ye continue 
in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed ; and 
ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make 
you free." — John viii : 31, 32. The general impres- 
sion is that the Apostles were converted men while 
they were enjoying the company of their Lord and 
Master. In some sense that may be true, but not 
in the proper New Testament sense. Evidently not 
in the sense in which Jesus uses the term. He 
plainly tells them to the contrary. And just before 
His crucifixion He gives Simon Peter to understand, 
that he was yet unconverted, since He said to him, 
"When thou art converted, strengthen thy breth- 
ren." — Luke xxii : 32. I do not understand how 
we can ignore these plain statements of Scripture, 
whatever our preconceived notions may be. It fol- 
lows that all analogies for Christian experience and 
conduct drawn from the experience and conduct of 
the Apostles during this stage of their history will 
prove to be misleading. The cases are not parallel. 
Men sometimes excuse unholy fellowship by de- 
claring that there was one devil among the twelve 
Apostles. They assume that he was a devil, or 



CONVERSION 22 1 

adversary, when Clirist chose him, which is not 
true ; and they forget to consider the fact that he 
was sifted out before the gift of the Holy Spirit. 
Because Peter denied his Lord with oaths is no 
excuse for us, as he was then yet unconverted. Be- 
cause all the Apostles played the coward and for- 
sook their Lord in time of danger is no example 
for us ; as they were yet unconverted, and afraid 
to die. They still feared them that kill the body. 
We can find no excuse or apology for our sins in 
the conduct of these unconverted men, nor in the 
conduct of any of the Old Testament believers, 
who, in the same sense, were unconverted. 

IL I will inquire, in the next place, as to the 
spiritual condition and experience of these Apostles 
who were yet unconverted. And this is done that 
we may measure ourselves by them, to see whether 
our spiritual state is superior to theirs. In the 
fact that they were Christ's chosen Apostles, we 
find nothing significant to us, as we cannot be 
Apostles. The number was filled in the beginning. 
When Judas by transgression fell from his apostle- 
ship, his place was filled ; not by the man-made 
Matthias, but by Saul of Tarsus, the converted 
persecutor, who labored more than all the others. 



2 22 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

and was the most potent instrument for the spread 
of the Gospel which the first century of this era 
produced. But laying aside this particular ofifice 
which was peculiar to them, I will direct your minds 
to other experiences which may be commonly en- 
joyed. And first they had accepted Christ as the 
Messiah sent by God ; and so receiving Him, they 
had recognized the mission of John the Baptist, 
His harbinger, and had submitted to the require- 
ments of his teachings. We learn from the record 
that some of Christ's Apostles were disciples of 
John, and have reason to believe that all of them 
were ; since Jesus declares that to refuse John's 
baptism was to reject the counsel of God against 
themselves ; and it is scarcely supposable that 
Christ would choose such for His intimate friends 
and followers. But it matters not so far as the 
argument is concerned, as they were all alike un- 
converted. Now we are plainly informed what 
John taught and promised those who submitted to 
his requirements. He demanded repentance in the 
first place, and fruits in the life which proved that 
repentance genuine. When the tax gatherers, or 
collectors of the tribute, asked him what fruits of 
repentance were expected of them, he replied, 
" Exact no more than is appointed you." At the 



CONVERSION 223 

present day tax collectors, if dishonest, are likely 
to collect less, rather than more than is required 
by law. They compound and divide with the tax- 
payer. But the Roman government, which collected 
this tribute, farmed out the revenues. That is, 
some person would agree to pay into the imperial 
treasury a certain amount as the revenue of a 
certain province, and take all the risk and be at 
all the expense of collection. What they collected 
above this was clear gain. They divided the prov- 
ince out in small sections to others ; and those 
collectors were unscrupulous and oppressive, en- 
deavoring to get all they could out of the property 
owners. To these John gave the admonition quoted 
above. The soldiers asked what they should do, 
and were told to do violence to no man and to 
be content with their wages. If we take the Bap- 
tist's language without qualification, the advice would 
spoil them for soldiers, as it is the soldier's special 
business to do violence to his fellowman. The 
Pharisees and Sadducees who failed to bring forth 
fruits meet for repentance were rejected. It seems 
that they desired private baptism, fearing that a 
pubHc confession of sin would hurt their religious 
reputations. While the Baptist required sincere 
repentance^ it is not probable that the repentance 



2 24 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

of his disciples was so deep and universal as under 
the Gospel. No doubt there was an influence of 
the Spirit in their understandings and consciences, 
though inferior to that experienced under the Gos- 
pel. Jesus declared that when the Spirit of Truth 
should be sent to guide saints into all truth, He 
should reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, 
and of judgment. His language evidently indicates 
a new and special work of the Holy Spirit in the 
consciences of sinners as well as in the hearts of 
His people. For why should it be said that the 
Spirit should do these things after Christ should 
go away and send him into the world, if he were 
doing the same things now before he was sent? It 
was profitable for the Disciples that Christ should 
go away because otherwise the Comforter would not 
come; and when Jesus says, ''When he is come 
he will reprove the world of sin," etc., it is neces- 
sarily to be inferred that He was not doing the 
same thing before His coming; otherwise His com- 
ing would make no difference. We conclude that 
since the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the exalta- 
tion of the Redeemer, repentance is granted in a 
fuller sense than before ; for it is said that Jesus 
has been exalted a Prince and a Savior to grant 
repentance. These disciples of John were not only 



CONVERSION 225 

penitents, but they were also promised pardon of 
sin ; for it is stated that John preached the baptism 
of repentance for the remission of sins. Mark, he 
did not preach the baptism of water for the remission 
of sins, but the baptism of repentance. In Mark 
I : 4 we read, '* John did baptize in the wilderness, 
and preach the baptism of repentance for the re- 
mission of sins." In Luke iii : 3, it is written, '*And 
he came into all the country about Jordan, preach- 
ing the baptism of repentance for the remission of 
sins." John declares in Matt, iii: 11, ''I indeed 
baptize you with water unto repentance, not unto 
remission. Those who had a genuine repentance 
which they witnessed by baptism, were promised 
the remission of their past sins. So we see that men 
may have penitence and pardon and not be con- 
verted ; or, in other words, repentance, pardon, and 
water baptism all together do not constitute con- 
version in the sense in which Christ uses the term ; 
for these Apostles no doubt had all these, yet were 
unconverted. Now among professed Christians gen- 
erally these experiences are supposed undoubtedly 
to give anyone a title to the name of Christian, 
as well as a title to future blessedness ; but Jesus 
says " verily, verily," it is not sufficient to admit 

one into the Kingdom. How strange that men 
c.c— 15 



226 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

should SO far miss the truth with New Testaments 
in their hands. When our theology fails to agree 
with the plain statements of Scripture, it needs 
to be revised. But these Apostles had further 
experiences and gifts. The Lord Jesus had 
^called them to preach His Gospel, and they 
were even now under tutelage to this end. It is 
true that they were not yet sent, except to pro- 
claim the call to repentance, and to announce the 
near approach of the heavenly kingdom, as John 
the Baptist was doing. It is generally supposed 
that a genuine call to preach is proof positive of 
a converted state, but it seems to be disproved by 
this instance. There is no doubt of the call of 
these Apostles, and Jesus himself declares them 
yet unconverted. Nor do I think this an excep- 
tional case. No doubt unconverted men are fre- 
quently called to the work of the ministry. I 
judge from my own personal experience, as well 
as from observation, that this is true. But while 
they may feel a call while unconverted, they are 
never commissioned or sent, until they are properly 
and fully qualified for the work. So the Lord told 
these Apostles to go into all the world and preach 
His Gospel, but to tarry at Jerusalem until they 
were endued with power from on high. Many 



CONVERSION 227 

men make the mistake of running before they are 
sent, taking the call for the commission, as Moses 
did, and with equally fruitless results. Many are 
probably called, but few are actually chosen, to the 
work of the ministry. But these Apostles were 
not only called to preach the Gospel but, like John " 
the Baptist, they were baptizers. They seem to 
have had good success, even surpassing the Bap- 
tizer himself in some instances. (John iv : i, 2.) 
Water baptism is a matter of comparatively so 
small importance that unconverted men were com- 
petent to administer it properly. Jesus did not 
baptize with water, since that is not His baptism, 
and His refraining from doing so is most signifi- 
cant. These Apostles were also empowered to 
heal the sick, and to cast out demons, that is, they 
were the workers of miracles. According to the 
Roman church this would entitle them in the most 
eminent sense to be called saints, as she teaches t 
that none but saints can work miracles. But here 
we see that unconverted men made miraculous 
cures, and found demons subject to them in Jesus' 
name. The man who has all faith so as to be 
able to remove mountains, if destitute of love, is 
nothing of a Christian, according to the Apostle 
Paul. There are greater works than performing 



2 28 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

miraculous cures upon the bodies of men ; works 
which none but a real saint can be instrumental 
in performing. These are the greater works which 
Jesus promises His people that they shall do after 
He goes to the Father. To be used as the instru- 
ment in the salvation of the soul from sin is a 
greater work than the raising of a physically dead 
man to life, and a much stronger proof oi a con- 
verted state. Unconverted men may be used in 
the one work, but none but saved men are ever 
used in the other. These Apostles had sufficient 
faith in God to go out and preach the coming 
kingdom without salaries, depending on God. from 
day to da}-,, for support. Jesus directed them to 
provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in their 
purses, neither scrip, or haversack, for their jour- 
ney, nor tv\-o coats, so that one could be used when 
the other wore out. or shoes, or even staves, for 
defense : since the workman was v,-orth}- of his 
meat. Thus they were left to depend wholly upon 
God's providence for the supply of the veriest nec- 
essaries of life. Yet their wants were all supplied. 
Jesus asked them, before sending them out into 
the larger field of the whole world. "When I sent 
ye out vrithout purse or scrip or shoes, lacked ye 
anj-thing?" And they replied "Nothing. Lord." 



CONVERSION 229 

Then Jesus said, '' But now, he that hath a purse 
let him take it, and likewise his scrip." He would 
not permit them to spend their own substance in 
the first instance, but now His ministers are per- 
mitted to use all their possessions in the work of 
preaching the Gospel. In this manifestation of 
their faith in God's promise for their support, 
how do these unconverted men put to shame 
many at the present time who profess to be 
truly converted. Modern preachers must have as- 
surances from responsible men that their wants will 
be supplied before they will go forth in the dis- 
charge of their duty to God. God's promise that 
they that preach the Gospel shall Hve of the Gospel, 
is not sufificient for them. They want something 
more substantial and trustworthy to rely upon. 
It is all right and proper that men who preach the 
Gospel should accept of support from those who 
are taught; but to demand assurance of support 
beforehand is prima facie evidence of infidelity. 
They are Christ's ambassadors and should look to 
Him alone for help ; otherwise they become serv- 
ants of men. It is perfectly natural that we should 
seek to please those upon whom we are depend- 
ent; and it is morally impossible that we should 
not do so. But St. Paul declares, "Do I seek to 



230 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not 
be the servant of Christ." — Gal. i: 10. To de- 
pend upon men for support in preaching the Gos- 
pel is to invite an irresistible temptation to seek to 
please them. 

These Apostles, then, to whom the language of 
the text is addressed, were penitents, who had 
been baptized with water, who enjoyed the pardon 
of their sins, were themselves baptizers, had been 
called to preach the Gospel, and were empowered 
to work miracles, and did preach the coming of 
the Kingdom of Heaven, going out empty-handed, 
depending upon God alone for the supply of their 
personal needs. Yet they were still, according to 
Christ's testimony, unconverted, and unfit for a 
place in the kingdom whose advent they pro- 
claimed. They had forsaken their avocations, and, 
having left all, were following Jesus, expecting their 
compensation in the kingdom of God. How much 
men may do and suffer and yet be unfitted for 
membership in the kingdom and patience of Jesus 
Christ. They may have wonderful gifts of oratory 
and persuasion, and great faith ; they may give 
all their goods to feed the poor, and give their 
bodies up to the flames, for religion's sake, and 
yet come short of the glory of God. Self-will and 



CONVERSION 231 

Spiritual pride, of which they may be unconscious, 
may be at the bottom of all their motives, and Di- 
vine love, which must be imparted, and which is 
the only motive with which God can be pleased, 
may be wholly absent. How important that we 
should walk in judgment light, wherein the secrets 
of all hearts are revealed, lest we trust in our own 
hearts and are eventually found to be fools. 

III. The next subject of inquiry is as to the 
indications these Apostles gave of their need of 
being converted. Did they in any way, or in many 
ways, show that they were not spiritual? I think 
even a cursory view of their characters and con- 
duct will afford proof of their carnality, and a care- 
ful survey will develop many more marks of the 
natural man. The question which called forth 
the declaration of our Lord concerning their 
need of conversion, itself exhibits their want of 
spiritual understanding, which is said to character- 
ize the natural man. The question arose from an 
entire misapprehension as to the nature of Christ's 
kingdom. They shared the views of their coun- 
trymen in general, that the Messiah, at His advent, 
was to set up a world kingdom like that of David 
and Solomon, which would deliver them from a 



232 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

foreign yoke and give them independence and do- 
minion. This conception was so firmly established 
in their minds, that nothing but a spiritual enlight- 
enment could remove it. So up to the time of 
Christ's ascension to Heaven, after all the lessons 
of the crucifixion and the resurrection, they still 
cling to this idea, and one of their number at this 
late date, asked Him, '* Wilt thou at this time re- 
store the kingdom to Israel?" They could not yet 
grasp the spiritual truth concerning the nature of 
Christ's kingdom. The Jews generally misapplied 
those Scriptures which foretold Christ's millenial 
reign, to His spiritual kingdom under the Gospel 
age. This misconception concerning the nature of 
the kingdom about to be set up, accounts for their 
readiness to forsake all to follow Him. They were 
convinced that He was the true Messiah, and hence 
had no doubt that He would set up a kingdom ; 
and they hoped for emoluments and honors in that 
kingdom. They did not seem to consider their 
humble origin, their want of learning and culture, 
as any bar to their advancement to the highest 
offices in the future state, about to be erected ; 
nor do they for a moment seem to suspect 
their ability to fill these positions of responsi- 
bility. They seem to have had all the self- 



CONVERSION 233 

confidence of ignorance. The division of the 
spoils was a question which frequently exercised 
their minds, and about which they contended among 
themselves. James and John do not seem to have 
been overburdened with modesty, as they preferred 
the request for the two highest places, basing their 
pretensions probably on their relationship to Jesus ; 
as it is held by many critics that their mother 
Salome was the sister of Mary, the mother of Je- 
sus. Simon Peter might have based his claim for 
preference on the fact that he and his brother 
Andrew were the first Disciples called by the Lord 
to follow Him. Judas Iscariot, being treasurer of 
the Apostolic college, might consider himself also a 
proper aspirant for first honors. We are not in- 
formed as to the number of candidates, nor who 
they all were ; but it seems that they were unable 
to settle the point among themselves, and so agreed 
to refer the matter to Christ as arbiter. His reply 
must have been a great surprise to them, as well 
as quite a check to their ambitious hopes. James 
and John, those sons of thunder, were ready to 
accept any conditions, so that they might have 
promise of the coveted places. Jesus said to them, 
'* Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of, and 
be baptized with my baptism?" They replied 



234 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

unhesitatingly, " We can." How little conception did 
the}' have of what was in store for them. James 
soon suffered mart}Tdom at the hands of Herod, 
but John, chastened by many sufferings, was the 
only Apostle who died a natural death, according 
to tradition. Their request not only shows spirit- 
ual ignorance, but also an unholy ambition for pre- 
ferment, and a failure to prefer their brethren 
before themselves. They felt, spoke, and acted, 
just as natural men do, and showed that self-seek- 
ing spirit which would have laid the foundation for 
disputes and divisions which would have inevitably 
rent them asunder when their Lord was removed from 
them. They had in their hearts the very principle 
of sectarianism. Their ignorance of spiritual truth, 
and their inability to comprehend it, was shown in 
many other ways. Christ's parables were enigmas 
to them until He interpreted them to them, and 
then their full import was not by an}' means grasped 
b}' them. They did not understand the necessity 
of Christ's death nor its significance. When Jesus 
spoke of His approaching trial and crucifixion, Peter 
took it upon himself to rebuke Him, saying " Be 
it far from thee, Lord." It was then that Jesus 
called him Satan, and declared that his speech 
savored not of the things of God, but of the things 



CONVERSION 235 

of men. Peter was, no doubt, sincere In what he 
said. He saw his hopes of worldly honor toppHng, 
as Jesus talked of His approaching death, and his 
consternation gave him unwonted boldness, so that 
he even dared to rebuke his Lord. He simply did 
not know what he was talking about, and his ignor- 
ance pleaded his excuse. The whole scheme of 
salvation through the death and resurrection of the 
Messiah was a sealed book to them ; they had not 
the remotest conception of it, as their language 
and conduct show. What a wonderful revolution 
must be wrought in them before they are fitted to 
go out and disciple the nations, and to turn the 
world upside down ! 

These facts are not generally set forth, as men 
have a superstitious reverence for the Apostles in 
their unconverted state, which the conditions do 
not warrant. Much could not reasonably be ex- 
pected of ignorant fishermen and tax-gatherers, 
imbued with all the prejudices of their race, until 
they should be Divinely enlightened by the gift 
and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. When their 
Lord was crucified, so little did they understand 
the import of His death, that they gave up all as 
lost. They had hoped, they said, that it was He 
that should redeem Israel. But now their hopes 



236 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

were blasted, not comprehending that their Lord's 
death was necessary to that redemption. And al- 
though they had been told by the Lord himselt 
that He should rise from the dead, they do not 
seem to have remembered His words, although His 
enemies did not forget His prediction, and took pre- 
cautions against such an event. Yet His Disciples, 
instead of confidently waiting for such a denouement, 
appear to have been surprised by it, and can 
scarceh" credit the news when they are informed 
of it. Thomas declared that he must not only 
have ocular, but tangible, demonstration of the 
truth of the report before he would Relieve it. 
What blindness of unbelief does all this show. 
There were man}' things that Jesus would fain have 
told them, but such was their ignorance of spirit- 
ual things that He forbore, knowing that they could 
not understand Him. How much was dependent 
upon the presence and guidance of the Comforter I 
How greatly was Christ straitened until His baptism 
(His death and suffering) was accomplished I It 
was principally by having His words recalled to 
their remembrance by the Holy Spirit, that His 
teachings while with them were of any profit to 
them. But however much depended upon the com- 
ing of the Comforter then, just as much depends 



CONVERSION 237 

upon His presence and teaching now, as the natural 
man has no more spiritual understanding now than 
it had then. Men may have correct theories, but 
they are empty words without the Holy Ghost. 
" The Kingdom of God is not in word, but in 
power." 

But the inability of the Apostles to understand 
spiritual truth, though a sufficient proof, is not the 
only proof of their unconverted state. Their evident 
self-seeking is another evidence of carnality. It is 
true that they had left all their temporal effects to 
follow Christ ; but it is plain that they did so in hopes 
of bettering their condition. It was not simply spirit- 
ual good that they sought, when they consented to 
follow Christ. They were looking after the main 
chance also. Their motives may have been mixed, 
and probably were so. But it is clear that they 
had in view great advantage to themselves, and 
advantage of a worldly nature. That they were 
themselves conscious that their motives were un- 
worthy, is evidenced from the fact that when Jesus 
asked them what they were wrangling about as 
they traveled, they were ashamed to tell Him ; but 
the Evangelist tells us that they were contending 
about who should be greatest. Spiritually obtuse 
as they were, they felt mean over their selfish 



2^8 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 



ambitions, and would z'-^dW have concealed them 
from Jesus. How str : r/ their littleness stands 
out in comparison witn His infinite mag^nanimit}-. 
No wonder they felt abashed, though they may 
not have reahzed just why. While He relinquished 
heaven that He might lift up the fallen and rescue 
the perishing, they quarreled about the division of 
spoils. O, the ir:^:. :e cit}- and compassion of the 
Savior, that He could bear with them so patiently. 
They knew not what they did. They had no 
sympathy with Him in His work, lor they did not 
comprehend it. Their afifection for Him was purely 
r.arural; they knevr Him ai:er the hesh only. But 
such knowledge is of no value in Gospel work. 
The Ad : st'e Paul declares. ** Henceforth know we 
no man after the flesh ; yea, though we have known 
Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we 
Him no more. — II Cor. v: i6. This desire for 
preference is naturah ^ .:. a va} s characterizes the 
natural man. It must be replaced by a love that 
prefers others before itseh'. *' In honor preferring 
one another." This is impossible to the natural 
man. He invariably prefers himself. Had these 
Apisr.es continued in this iran:e ci mind, or state 
;: rs.'.T.d. they would have been unfitted for the 
::': to which thev were called. Their desire for 



CONVERSION 239 

superiority would "have lead to continual emulation, 
envy, and strife, so that they could not have co- 
operated in Gospel work. If they wrangled while 
Christ was with them, they would have soon 
quarreled and anathematized each other after His 
departure. Jesus accused some of following Him 
because they ate of the loaves and fishes and were 
filled, and the Apostles were not free from mer- 
cenary and selfish motives in following Christ. At 
one time, when the conditions of discipleship had 
been clearly set forth, Peter, speaking for the others 
as well as himself, said to his Lord, '*We have left 
all and followed thee, what shall we have there- 
fore?" They seemed to fear that following Christ 
was to be all self-denial and no recompense. This 
anxiety concerning what they were to get, exposes 
their self-seeking motives. They made it mani- 
festly true of themselves as declared by the Apostle, 
"All men seek that which is their own, and not 
that which is Jesus Christ's." St. Paul asserts that 
love seeketh not her own. So they showed them- 
selves to be destitute of love, without which we 
are nothing. This mark of selfishness and self- 
seeking, so clearly seen in the conduct of these 
Apostles, is also seen among many modern pro- 
fessors. It is prominent in the lives of many pro- 



240 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

fessed ministers of the Gospel. The}- are rivals ot 
one another for places of power and influence, and 
emulous of distinction and preferment. There is 
great strife among them which one of them shall 
be greatest, have the best places, and receive the 
highest salaries. The question is decided by 
majorit}' vote, and all the arts of the politician are 
called into play in the struggle for supremacy. 
These manifestations just as clearly prove that 
most modern ministers are as truly unconverted as 
were the Apostles before Pentecost, and that they 
are just as unfit, to say the least, as were they, 
for the work of preaching the unsearchable riches 
of the Gospel. It is not necessary to enlarge upon 
this fact, as it is plain and patent to everyone. 

The proof of carnalit)' in the Apostles is seen 
further in their intolerance. On a certain occasion 
they found one casting out devils in Jesus' name 
and they forbade him. The Lord had commis- 
sioned them to cast out demons, and they seemed 
to consider that this gave them a monopoly of 
business, and any other person presuming to cast 
out devils was, in their estimation, infringing upon 
their rights. This, again, is an exhibition of selfish, 
unsanctified, human nature. What mattered it to 
them that their fellowmen should suffer from de- 



CONVERSION 241 

moniacal possession? Much better it should be so 
than that some one else should heal them. Like 
many physicians of this present day, they were, 
who prefer that the patient should die secundum 
arteni rather than that he should be healed irreg- 
ularly. But was the man actually casting out 
devils? Yes. And doing it in Jesus' name? O 
yes. And yet they forbade him? What for? Be- 
cause, forsooth, " He followeth not us." He failed 
to take out a license at our place of business. He 
must not be allowed to do good without our con- 
sent. He does not wear our badge, our Hvery. 
Therefore he is an heretic, an enemy, and must be 
prohibited, and put down and driven out at all 
hazards. O the narrow, miserable, spirit of bigotry 
and intolerance ! How hateful and contemptible 
does it appear. It is one of the meanest princi- 
ples of the human heart. How cruel and blood- 
thirsty does it become when roused, and how many 
thousands of innocents has it slain. It is the 
firstborn of hell, and the ugliest whelp of sin. 
Said Madame Roland on her way to the scaf- 
fold, '* O Liberty ! how many crimes are committed 
in thy name ! " So may it be said of religious 
zeal, urged on by ignorance and intolerance. When 

Jesus was informed of what His Disciples had done, 
c.c. — 16 



242 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

He countermanded their order, sa\-ing that those 
who were not against Him were on His side. BHnd 
bigotr}' does not know its own friends. Said Je- 
sus, " No man can do a miracle in my name and 
Hghtly speak evil of me." An enlightened under- 
standing and a sanctified heart will welcome every 
recruit into the army of the Lord, from whatever 
direction he may come. Let such an one but be 
convinced that God's work is being done and that 
souls are being saved from sin, and he at once 
recognizes a fellow-laborer and a brother. Not- 
withstanding the generally admitted policy of re- 
ligious tolerance, intolerance is not dead, though 
it cannot manifest itself generally through legisla- 
tive enactments. There is just as much of it in un- 
sanctified human nature as ever, and it breaks over 
legal barriers to manifest itself on many occasions. 
In many more instances it is shown in pett\' per- 
secutions, and in devious ways to hinder what can- 
not wholly be prevented. For the comparative 
absence of religious intolerance we are indebted 
principally to the waning of religious zeal among 
the masses. The tolerant spirit of Jesus, who was 
willing that anyone should exorcise demons in His 
name, is an example for us to imitate. If we pos- 
sess His Spirit it will not be so difficult for us to 



CONVERSION 243 

follow His example. Truth is the peculiar property 
of no man nor association of men. It is for any 
man who is willing to buy it at its market price. 

The disposition to revenge insults is another mark 
of an unconverted state. We are told that at one 
time as Christ and His Disciples were passing through 
Samaria on their way to Jerusalem, and were about 
to pass through a certain village in Samaria and 
to lodge there., the inhabitants refused to allow 
them to do so, because they were on their way to 
Jerusalem. The religious feud between the Jews 
and the Samaritans arising out of their respective 
claims to the possession of the proper place of 
worship, was the cause of this refusal. Because 
Christ and His Apostles thought it was necessary 
to go up to Jerusalem to worship, seemed to these 
Samaritans to amount to an ignoring of the claims 
of their temple ; and in spite, they resorted to this 
means of annoying these Jews. The Apostles, or 
at least some of them, were much incensed and 
insulted. They felt revengeful, and desired to in- 
flict dire punishment on these narrow-minded here- 
tics. They approached their Master saying, ** Lord, 
wilt thou that we command fire to come down from 
heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?" 
The Apostles who asked the question were the same 



244 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

two, James and John, who aspired to sit in the two 
places of honor, at His right hand and at His left. 
They were ready to burn up a whole town because 
they were refused entertainment among them. No 
doubt the fact that they were Samaritans, and false 
religionists, tended to whet the edge of their re- 
sentment. It is easy and natural for men to indulge 
cruel feelings toward those who dare to differ with 
them in religious opinions, and whom they consider 
heretics. No punishment seems too severe for such. 
So John Calvin must have felt when he had Ser- 
vitus burned for differing with him on the doc- 
trine of the Trinit}'. a subject neither of them could 
comprehend. I\Ien imagine under such circum- 
stances that their indignation arises out of their 
zeal for God and the truth, when in reality it comes 
from their attachment to their own opinions. Zeal 
for the truth is impersonal, and does not inspire 
murderous feelings toward opposers. IMen never 
wish to kill for Christ's sake, but for wounded van- 
ity's sake, or for the sake of pride of opinion. 
These Apostles may have imagined that it was on 
Jesus' account they felt so incensed against these 
villagers ; but it was really on their own account. 
But while these Disciples were thinking of ven- 
geance, their Lord was calm and unruffled at the 



CONVERSION 245 

affront offered Him, and showed no disposition to 
punish anyone. Whence came His immeasurable 
superiority over His companions? By natural birth 
and association He was but their equal, and younger 
than most of them. How does He come to be so 
lifted above natural human frailties and weaknesses? 
He moves among them more than a philosopher, 
and He must have been, as He claimed, the Son of 
God. He calmly rebuked His Disciples saying, ** Ye 
know not what manner of Spirit ye are of. For 
the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, 
but to save them." It would be well if His professed 
followers had always remembered this lesson. Much 
cruel persecution, and the shedding of much in- 
nocent blood, would have been thus avoided. The 
desire to revenge ourselves, or to persecute, is pos- 
itive evidence of an unsaved condition. 

Another mark of carnality shown by the 
Apostles was their fear of man and of death. They 
were not destitute of natural courage. Peter was 
ready to fight for his Lord and Master, and did 
not stop to count the odds against him. His Lord 
had said something about the desirability of their 
having swords, and Peter, understanding the language 
literally, could see no use of having a sword unless 
it was to be used. So at the first opportunity he 



246 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

drew It in the defense of his Master against the . 
posse that had come out to arrest Him. He suc- 
ceeded in cutting off an ear at the first stroke, 
when he was thunderstruck by the command of 
his Master to put the weapon up. He was not to 
be allowed to fight, that was plain ; and his courage 
began to ooze away. We should not be surprised 
that Peter should have thus misinterpreted the 
Savior's language. Any natural man would have 
done the same ; though when Jesus declared two 
swords w^ere enough, after declaring that the owner- 
ship of a sword was so important a matter that a 
Disciple should even sell his garment to buy one, 
it ought to have caused a doubt as to His mean- 
ing. Natural men still misinterpret Him in hke 
manner concerning the washing of feet, and other 
things, supposing that He is to be understood 
literally; and no doubt they will continue so to 
do until the end. As soon as the Disciples found 
themselves defenseless, they became panic-stricken, 
and forsook their Lord and fled. Their natural 
fear of death prevailed, and their love for their 
Master was not strong enough to hold them to 
their allegiance. The instinct of self-preservation 
asserted itself, and they played the coward. They 
seemed to be unpromising material to make martyrs 



CONVERSION 247 

out of. Their Lord had warned them not to fear 
them that could no more than kill the body, but 
the cowardice was in them, and they could not 
resist it. Their Lord had told them that they 
would do this, but they could not credit the state- 
ment, and Peter had declared himself ready to die 
with Him. He declared the others might run away, 
but he never would. He soon learned the value 
of self-confidence ; and because he was most self- 
confident, he suffered the greatest humiliation of 
any of them. He and John, the beloved Disciples, 
did not run far, but turned and followed Christ 
and His captors at a distance, and slipped into the 
hall of judgment where Christ was on trial. John 
seems to have escaped observation, or at least was 
not molested ; but Peter had made himself con- 
spicuous by using his sword. At all events he was 
recognized and accused of being one of Christ's 
Disciples. Moved by fear for his life, he promptly 
denied the charge. Again he was accused and 
again he denied, saying, ** I know not the man." 
A third time he was accused by several persons 
who confidently declared that they recognized Peter 
as one of Christ's Disciples. Then he began to 
curse and swear, not, as we would say, profanely, 
but to attest with an oath, or a number of oaths. 



248 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

the truth of his denial. Then the cock crew, and 
Jesus turned and looked at Peter, and he remem- 
bered his Lord's warning; and he went out and 
wept bitterly. If it is desired by anyone to prove 
the propriety of a Christian man's oath, this, I be- 
lieve, is the only example of it, in the New Testa- 
ment. Peter's shame was great, and his sorrow no 
doubt sincere, but it did not inspire him with 
courage to acknowledge his Lord. 

The Disciples were of the common people and 
stood in great awe of the Jewish rulers. They were 
timid and seem to have been completely demoral- 
ized by the arrest and trial of their Lord. They 
lost all confidence in their cause, and all power of 
initiative, and were wholly at a loss what to do. 
They were about ready to return to their fishing 
nets in despair of the cause. They were in no 
state of mind to fit them for any enterprise, such 
as their enemies seemed to fear, who charged that 
they suspected them of a design to steal Christ's 
body and conceal it, and then proclaim Him risen 
from the dead. Such a scheme was furthest from 
their thoughts. They sought only to secure their 
own safety. While their weakness is humiliating to 
contemplate, it is what might be reasonably ex- 
pected. A contrary course would have been 



CONVERSION 249 

extraordinary. They were simple, law-abiding men, 
ignorant of plots and conspiracies, and in the habit 
of depending upon, and implicitly following, their 
Master. When He was so suddenly and unexpect- 
edly taken from them, they were bewildered and 
terrified. How unfitted they were for the great 
work of establishing the religion of Jesus ! Truly, 
it is clearly apparent that a great revolution in 
their characters was absolutely necessary to their 
success as Gospel evangelists. How could they 
face the perils of the ministry, the threats of rulers, 
and the prospects of martyrdom, while such a fear 
of death possessed them? Peter, the boldest of 
them, cowered under the accusations of a maid- 
servant, and trembled for his life. John seems to 
be the only one of them who witnessed the cruci- 
fixion of the Savior. But the others hngered round, 
hoping that something favorable might transpire, 
possibly indulging a faint hope of their Lord's 
resurrection. That this event was not confidently 
expected is seen in the conduct of the women go- 
ing to embalm His body after He was already 
risen. And when they found the body gone, they 
did not appear to think that He might be risen, but 
that someone had removed the corpse to some 
other place. How little expectation could they 



250 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

have had then of His rising from the dead. All 
this fear and panic and bewilderment show un- 
deniably their ignorance of the significance of the 
events then transpiring about them, their unbelief, 
and their general spiritual obtuseness and stupidity. 

IV, The last point for consideration is concern- 
ing the time of their conversion, and the manifest 
results. We learn from the record that the resur- 
rection of the Lord Jesus, while it created rejoic- 
ing among the Disciples, and renewed confidence, 
yet made no spiritual change in them. They still 
remained ignorant 'of the nature of Christ's King- 
dom, and were still fearful and incredulous. Peter, 
it is true, had lost some of his self-confidence, for 
when his Lord catechized him as to his superior 
love for Him, saying, *' Simon, son of Jonas, lovest 
thou me more than these?" he would make no 
profession of love greater than that of his breth- 
ren, replying, '* Lord, thou knowest that I love 
thee." The question was asked three times, since 
Peter had thrice denied his Lord, and he was in- 
structed to feed Christ's sheep and lambs, his 
Lord thus indicating that he was restored to favor, 
and that his lapses were forgotten. Just before 
Christ ascended to the Father, He commissioned 



CONVERSION 251 

His Apostles to disciple all nations, telling them to 
tarry at Jerusalem until the Holy Ghost should be 
given to endue them with power. Before His death 
Jesus had said to Simon Peter, *' Simon, Satan 
hath desired to have thee, that he might sift thee 
as wheat; but I have prayed for thee that thy 
faith fail not; and when thou art converted, 
strengthen thy brethren," On the day of Pente- 
cost, fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus, and 
ten days after His ascension, the Apostles and other 
Disciples were assembled in an upper room in 
Jerusalem, waiting for the promise of the Father. 
And suddenly the Holy Spirit fell upon them, and 
filled and purified their hearts. And cloven tongues 
of fire appeared and sat upon each of them, and 
they spake in unknown tongues, "that is, in lan- 
guages unknown to the speakers," as the Spirit 
gave them utterance. Their enthusiasm and their 
ability to address their auditors in a variety of 
languages struck them with astonishment and ad- 
miration. But the great work of Pentecost took 
place in the natures of the Disciples. 

"Their natures were changed, their minds 
Transformed in all their powers." 

They became new men in Christ Jesus. The 
vail was taken away, that they might know the 



252 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

things freely given to them of God. Their hearts 
were filled with love to God and all mankind. They 
were delivered from the Spirit of fear, and received 
the Spirit of adoption; of power, of love, and of 
a sound mind. Sin, the sting of death, was removed, 
and they no longer feared them that killed the 
body only. Peter remembering his Lord's injunc- 
tion to strengthen his brethren, arose, and preached 
the first Gospel sermon under the influence of the 
Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. He told his 
hearers that he understood the meaning of what 
was transpiring; that it was a fulfillment of Joel's 
prophecy, '' It shall come to pass in the last days, 
saith God, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all 
flesh ; and your sons and your daughters shall 
prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, 
and your old men shall dream dreams; and on 
my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour 
out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall 
prophesy." How quickly Peter began to under- 
stand and apply the Scriptures, when he had re- 
ceived the Holy Spirit. His Bible was a new 
book, full of new truths, seen in a new light. He 
learned more truth in a few minutes under the in- 
struction of the Spirit than he had learned before 
in all his life. And what power there was in his 



CONVERSION 253 

preaching ! His words pierced the hearts of his 
hearers like sharp pointed arrows. Their sinful 
lives rose up before them to confront and condemn 
them. Their excuses and apologies for sin faded 
away ; their refuges of lies were overthrown, their 
self-righteousness in which they had trusted turned 
into an accusing enemy ; they saw themselves with- 
out a refuge, lost and undone ; and they cried out 
in their agony, *' Men and brethren, what must we 
do?" Jesus promised that His Disciples should do 
greater works than He had done, after He went to 
His Father. Here began the fulfillment of His 
promise. Here was a greater work than He had 
done while on earth. Peter's preaching convinced 
men of sin, and led three thousand souls to salva- 
tion in one day. This was the era of the con- 
version of the Apostles. At this time they became 
New Testament saints, children of God. Because 
they were sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His 
son into their hearts crying, Abba, Father. Now 
they were truly converted, in the sense in which 
the Lord Jesus uses the word. They were born 
again, born from above. Peter declares that their 
hearts were purified by faith at this time. Here 
is where the peculiar experiences belonging to the 
Christian dispensation began. Here the mystery 



2 54 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

hidden from ages and from generations was first 
made manifest to the saints, which is Christ in us 
the hope of glory. And what a wonderful trans- 
formation was wrought in them. These selfish, 
self-seeking Apostles, along with the other converts, 
lost sight of individual ownership in earthly things. 
Instead of seeking something for themselves, they 
were ready to share everything with their brethren. 
They became as little children in their freedom 
from care, and their enjoyment of the present bless- 
ings, without anxious thought for the morrow. 
They ate their meat with gladness and singleness 
of heart. They called nothing their own. They 
realized the experience described by Wesley : — 

" Nothing on earth I call my own — 
A stranger to the world, unknown, 

I all their goods despise. 
I trample on their whole delight, 
And seek a city out of sight ; 

A city in the skies." 

Their hearts were pure. Selfishness, and envy, 
and jealousy were expelled by love. 

" On the wings of His love, they were carried above 
All sin, and temptation, and pain, 
And they could not believe that they ever should grieve, 
That they ever should suffer again." 

Their hearts were full of good-will toward all 
mankind, and they could not conceive why they 
should be regarded with hatred and scorn. How 



CONVERSION 255 

pleasant it is to contemplate this happy state of 
affairs. It was something new under the sun. Noth- 
ing like it ever was seen before. It was unique, 
unprecedented, almost incredible. The world beheld 
it with amazement. The common people looked 
on with approval, but the rulers and religious lead- 
ers were alarmed and disconcerted. They doubted 
what the outcome might be. They feared their 
craft was in danger. They declared, with the ap- 
pearance of injured innocence, that the Disciples 
were about to bring this man's blood upon them, 
after they had cried out vehemently, '' His blood 
be upon us and our children." It was upon them, 
and they could not wash it off. So they hailed 
the Apostles Peter and John before them, scourged 
them, and commanded them to preach no more in 
the name of Jesus. Since these Apostles had shown 
such timidity and cowardice a few short weeks 
previously, they no doubt imagined that they would 
be easily managed, and terrified by a show of 
severity. But to their great surprise they stood up 
boldly and declared their intention to obey God 
rather than man. '' Now when they saw the bold- 
ness of Peter and John, and perceived that they 
were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled ; 
and they took knowledge of them that they had 



256 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

been with Jesus." — Acts iv: 13. Here we see what 
a wonderful change had been wrought in these 
Apostles by their conversion. They had lost the 
fear of man that bringeth a snare, and the fear of 
death was gone, and they were ready to suffer and 
die, if need be, for the testimony of Jesus. With 
them there was no more faltering, no taking coun- 
sel of flesh and blood. With the warning that 
Jesus had given him, Peter saw looming up in the 
distance a gibbet and a martyr's doom. But be- 
yond that he saw a martyr's crown and a martyr's 
reward, and he went cheerfully on to his fate, anx- 
ious only that he might finish his course with joy, 
and the ministry which he had received of the 
Lord Jesus. Worldly ambitions and hopes of pre- 
ferment had been removed. They saw the highest 
place was the place of greatest responsibility 
and greatest danger. To be prominent was to 
challenge persecution. But they found the prom- 
ised presence and help of the Master always at 
hand, and they went forward with serene confidence 
and unshaken fidelity. Soon the storm burst upon 
their devoted heads. Stephen was stoned, James, 
the brother of John, slain with the sword, and 
Peter imprisoned ; and the little band was scattered, 
everywhere preaching the Word ; so that the per- 



CONVERSION 257 

secution at Jerusalem only turned out to the 
furtherance of the Gospel. We do not learn how 
James died, but Stephen, as the stones fell upon 
his prostrate body, saw Heaven opened, and Jesus 
waiting to receive him into paradise. Peter was 
delivered by an angel out of the hands of Herod, 
and so escaped death for the present, remaining 
with his brethren to suffer and to toil. But before 
Stephen died he was instrumental in God's hands, 
in planting the seeds of Gospel truth in the heart 
and conscience of one of his persecutors, who was 
destined to become the great champion of the new 
religion. A young man, Saul of Tarsus, held the 
clothes of those who stoned Stephen, and was con- 
senting unto his death. And a short time after- 
ward, on his way to Damascus with authority from 
the chief priests to imprison other Christians, re- 
volving these matters in his mind as he rode along 
the highway, in the heat of the day, suddenly he 
got a call from Heaven to obey the Gospel to 
which he had listened. And he was not disobedi- 
ent to the heavenly vision, but, yielding, he was 
converted, and became one of the most signal in- 
stances of the power of the Gospel to convince 
and save. From all these examples we see what 

a wonderful thing it is to be converted, in the true 
c.c. — 17 



258 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Gospel sense. And it is just as wonderful now as 
then. But much of that which is called conversion 
at the present day fails to measure up to this 
standard given us in the Gospel. In fact, but lit- 
tle of it will favorably compare with the experience 
of the Apostles before Pentecost. It falls far short 
of even that standard. And if the Apostles needed 
to be converted to qualify them for a place in the 
Kingdom of Heaven, how much more do the mod- 
ern professors of Christianity need the same ex- 
perience. The standard of Christian experience 
and life has been so lowered, that terms represent- 
ing it have lost their meaning. That the standard 
will ever be generally raised is not to be expected. 
It is contrary to all experience to hope for such 
a result. Evil men and seducers will continue to wax 
worse and worse, and conditions will not improve. But 
the warning voice is raised, that perchance some 
sincere souls may be found who will heed the cry 
an^ be advised in time. At all events the trumpet 
must be sounded until Zion's warfare is accom- 
plished. I leave the reader to make the application 
to his own case, and I simply ask the question of 
each one who shall peruse these lines, Are you so 
converted as to fit you for a place in the Kingdom 
of Heaven? 



LOVE 



Love is the fulfilling of the law. — Rom. xiii : lo. 
Beloved, let us love one another : for love is of God ; 
and every one that loveth is born of God. — I John iv : 7. • 
Charity (love) never faileth, — I Cor. xiii: 8. 

'T^HE subject chosen for the theme of this dis- 
course is of transcendent importance and 
interest. The gifts of an archangel would be in- 
adequate to do it justice, and I feel my utter in- 
ability for the task. To set forth the subject as 
it deserves is a greater achievement than to ''paint 
the bow in the bended heavens." The subject is 
infinite, for God is love ; and the love of God 
passeth knowledge. We may apprehend it, but 
we cannot comprehend it. My soul says with the 
poet: — 

"O, could I speak the matchless vi^orth, 
O, could I sound the glories forth, 

Which in my Savior shine ; 
I'd soar and touch the heavenly strings, 
And vie with Gabriel while he sings 
In notes almost divine." 

But though I cannot do justice to the theme, 
I will do what I can to describe and magnify this 

(259) 



26o CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Divine love. Natural affection in human beings 
may be considered as having some likeness to 
Divine love, but it is also related to the instinctive 
affection of the lower animals. It is sometimes 
used in Holy Writ as an emblem of God's love 
for His creatures and consequently must be some- 
what analogous. Yet it is but a faint emblem, at 
besti of love Divine. The Apostle John declared 
that God is love, and all His moral attributes must 
therefore be emanations of love. His mercy. His 
justice. His veracity. His holiness, are but different 
expressions of His love, and must therefore be con- 
sistent with it. His tender mercies are said to be 
over all His works, and to endure forever. This 
being true, it follows that His love is universal ; that 
it includes, and extends to, all His creatures. As 
it is the property of lOve to seek the good of all 
its objects, it must be inferred that God desires 
the welfare and happiness of all His dependent 
creatures. His love, if universal, cannot be partial. 
He cannot desire the welfare of but a part of His 
creatures. He can make no difference between 
those who do not differ from one another, since 
that would be partiality. It does not follow that 
He loves all equally and alike regardless of char- 
acter, but that love can make no difference between 



LOVE 261 

those of the same character. Now as all men are 
ahke involved in sin and lost to God, all being 
morally homogeneous, God must love them all alike. 
To suppose that God can love a part of a lost 
race, and hate another part, no worse, nor more 
lost than their fellows, is to say that God's love 
is not universal, and that His tender mercies are 
not over all His works. It is a misrepresentation 
of God's character and a contradiction of the 
teachings of both reason and Scripture. If God 
can make provision for the infallible salvation of a 
part of the lost race. He could just as easily have 
made provision for the certain salvation of the 
whole race, since they do not differ in moral char- 
acter. To suppose that God has not made such 
universal provision when He might have done so, 
is to assert that He has pleasure in the death of 
those who die, because no provision is made for 
their rescue, and that He is not love but hatred 
toward the mass of His creatures. Such a view 
dishonors God and presents His character in an 
unlovely Hght. It is nothing less than a libel 
on infinite love. Men derived such opinions, not 
from the Scriptures, nor from nature, but from 
metaphysical speculations. Because they could 
not, to their own satisfaction, harmonize free will 



262 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

and foreknowledge, they have not hesitated to 
blacken the Divine character, and discredit Him 
with reasonable men, who cannot reverence a 
love so partial. If God can save one man uncon- 
ditionally, by the mere exertion of His omnipotence, 
He will undoubtedly thus save all men. The love 
that takes in one lost sinner abounds and extends 
beyond the limits of creation, and beyond all hu- 
man or angelic needs. It is true that God is said 
to hate some persons, but this is a comparative 
term signifying to love less ; as Christians are com- 
manded to hate father and mother, that is love 
them less than they love Christ. But it is not 
without foresight of faith or good works, that some 
are loved more than others, but because of their 
difference in moral character. It is impossible 
that it should be otherwise, else God would be a 
capricious tyrant, delighting Himself in the misery 
of His creatures. God must delight in all His ac- 
tions. He must be infinitely pleased with Himself 
and His own conduct; hence on such a supposi- 
tion. He must dehght in the death of Him that 
dieth, since it is the result of His own action ; but 
He swears by Himself saying, *' As I live, saith the 
Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of him that 
dieth, but rather that he should turn and live." 



LOVE 263 

God's love is not only universal and impartial, but 
also eternal. So long as He is God He will be love, 
without variableness or change. When it is possi- 
ble to do His creatures good He will do it; love 
will compel it. His love and mercy do not end 
with the present age, but will continue, undimin- 
ished, forever. I care not what the consequences 
of such a view of God's character may be, they 
must be good. To hold otherwise is to limit the 
Holy One, and confine Him within the narrow bounds 
of our finite comprehension. The Scriptures do 
not teach universal salvation, because they do not 
teach unconditional salvation. A certain part of 
those who hear the Gospel are saved, because only 
a part elect to be saved. The damnation of the 
remainder is not the result of God's election, but 
of their own. They choose for themselves and de- 
cide their own fate. If God's will were done they 
would be saved ; for " He will have all men to be 
saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 
It is because they have their own wills in the 
matter that they are lost. What the future holds 
for such, of opportunity or retrieval, is hidden from 
human ken. No hope is held out in God's revela- 
tion. Everything there written is forbidding, and 
discouraging to hope. But the hopelessness of 



264 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

their case does not arise out of God's unwillingness 
to have mercy. If their condition is hopeless, it is 
because of what they are, not because of God's 
want of love. No saved man is the happier be- 
cause of their despair. He would fain share that 
happiness with all created intelligences. Like his 
Father he has no pleasure in their death. And if, 
in the coming ages of eternity, there should be 
hope for the lost, he will welcome that hope with 
enthusiasm. 

The Divine justice, which is pledged to punish 
the guilty, is but an expression of His love. It 
is not a manifestation of hatred or ill-will. It is 
for the best interests of sinners, as well as for the 
protection of the righteous, that disobedience and 
rebellion should be punished ; and punitive justice 
is the vengeance of love, not of malice. The dura- 
tion of punishment must depend upon its effect 
upon the culprit. The discouraging phase of the 
subject is that those who can successfully resist 
the influence of love in its merciful manifestations 
are not likely to be subdued by severity. Their 
moral state is such that the probable effect will be 
to harden rather than to subdue. Herein seems 
to lie the hopelessness of their state. Punishment 
will tend to produce only the worldly sorrow which 



LOVE 265 

deprecates the punishment, but does not hate the 
cause of it. Nevertheless, the best possible thing 
will be done for every human soul. 

The love which animates Deity is the same 
principle which dwells in the heart of each believer. 
St. Peter declares that saints are made partakers 
of the Divine nature. As God is love, it is love 
of which we are made partakers. This is called 
perfect love, since it can have no imperfection, 
being Divine. The adjective distinguishes it from 
human love, which is essentially partial and there- 
fore imperfect. Some have supposed that perfect 
love is a peculiar kind of Divine love, and that 
there is another kind which is not perfect; and 
that most Christians have the imperfect kind. This 
conception is not only contrary to reason and ab- 
surd, but also out of harmony with Scripture. It 
is true St. John speaks of perfect love, but he says 
nothing about any other kind, and its existence is 
only an inference. It exists in the natural love of 
the creature and nowhere else. There can be no 
imperfect Divine love, since it is the Divine nature 
which cannot be imperfect. St. John positively 
declares that we have perfect love or none at all. 
" He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not 



266 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not 
in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily 
is the love of God perfected." — I John ii : 4, 3. 
" If we love one another. God dwelleth in us, and 
his love is perfected in us." — I John iv : 12. ''He 
that loveth not his brother abideth in death." — I 
John iii : 14. We see from these extracts that the 
Apostle had no knowledge of an imperfect love of 
God. If love were a human product, it might well 
be imperfect: but since it comes from God and 
is of His essence, it must be perfect in kind. In 
development, it admits of growth and increase. In 
other words it expands as our spiritual faculties 
develop. It is the perfection of the Christian dis- 
pensation and of the Christian character. Under 
the law it was said. " Fear God and keep his 
commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." 
But under the Gospel, love casts out tormenting 
fear and makes our natures Divine. Love is the 
mind of Christ, the image of God in the soul of 
man. As in God. so in the Christian, it is the 
root and base of all the moral attributes and 
characteristics. From it flow all holy tempers and 
affections as streams from a fountain. It is the 
Christian's holiness. It is the Lord our righteous- 



LOVE 267 

ness. It is the righteousness which exceeds that 
of the scribes and Pharisees. With this love in 
his heart the saint can sing with Zinzendorf : — 

"Jesus, thy blood and righteousness 
My beauty are, my glorious dress. 
Midst flaming worlds in these arrayed, 
With joy shall I lift up my head," 

Love is said to be the fulfiUing of the law. We 
are not to understand from this statement that love 
meets the demands of the perfect law of God in 
every detail ; that it enables the possessor to ful- 
fill the letter of the law without error, or mistake, 
or imperfection. It means, first, that love is the 
principle of obedience ; it is the essential part of 
obedience ; so that whoever possesses love will 
obey God so far as he knows His will and so far 
as he is able to do it. To suppose that a man 
loves God and is unwilling to obey Him is to sup- 
pose a contradiction. Jesus declares, '' If any man 
love me, he will keep my words." And St. John 
says, " This is the love of God that we keep his 
commandments." Since love is disposed to keep 
God's commandments, if its possessor does not do 
so, it must be from causes beyond his control. 
In intention and will he fulfills the law, though in 
fact he may come short of it. In this sense, love 
is the fulfilling of the law. It is the righteousness of 



268 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

the law which Is fulfilled in us, who walk not after 
the flesh, but after the Spirit. In the second place 
love is the fulfilling of the law, because it is the 
law under which the Christian Hves. The law of 
perfect obedience, as it is called, was fulfilled for 
us by our Substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ. He 
kept it in every jot and tittle of its demands. 
There could be no passing away of that law until 
it was thus fulfilled. By fulfilling it perfectly, the 
Redeemer magnified it, made it honorable, justi- 
fied it as holy and good, requiring nothing impos- 
sible or unreasonable. It was just what perfect 
human beings ought to obey. But as men are not 
now perfect human beings, they cannot keep it in the 
letter, as it ought to be kept. But Christ our Sub- 
stitute kept it for us, and took us out from under 
it. He satisfies for us all the claims of that law, 
so that we are dead to it by the body of Christ, 
and married to another that we might bring forth 
fruit unto God ; that is, the fruit of obedience. 
Under the old law we brought forth fruit unto 
death. But the old husband being dead to us, and 
we to it, we are put under a new law, the law of 
love; one we can keep. For though we cannot 
render perfect obedience to a perfect law of works, 
we can by the grace of God love Him with all our 



LOVE 269 

hearts, and our neighbors as ourselves. Love then 
is the Christian's law, under which he lives, by 
which he is measured and judged. Charles Wes- 
ley writes concerning this law : — 

"That perfect law of thine, 

Savior to me impart; 
The Spirit's law of life divine; 

O, write it on my heart. 
Implant it deep within, 

W^hence it may ne'er remove; 
The law of liberty from sin, 

The perfect law of love." 

It is in judging them by this standard that 
nothing can be laid to the charge of God's elect. 
They may be convicted of a thousand mistakes 
and ten thousand faults and infirmities, but these 
are not violations of Christ's law; they may still 
love much. Since love is the fulfilling of the law, 
it follows that no action, no outward conduct ful- 
fills this law. It is assumed as axiomatic, that 
love will infallibly result in outward conduct in 
accordance with God's will so far as understood. 
But this obedient conduct is not the fulfilling of 
the law. It is the fruit of obedience, not the thing 
itself. If the outward doing of God's will were 
obedience to Christ's law, then the failure to do 
His will from any cause, ignorance or mistake, or 
what not, would be disobedience, and the child of 



270 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

God would be no better off than under the old 
law ; since he is always liable to ignorance and 
mistake. Love itself is obedience, and the conduct 
is only of moment, as showing the fruit of love. 
In other words, God does not so much care what 
a man who loves Him does, as what he intends 
to do. ''Man looketh on the outward appearance, 
but the Lord looketh on the heart." — I Sam. xvi : 
7. God's people are not to be judged by meats, 
and drinks, and holy days, or new moons, or Sab- 
bath days. "The Kingdom of God is not meat 
and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy 
in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things 
serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved 
of men." — Rom. xiv : 17, 18. Obedience is not, 
then, a matter of conduct. To so teach is to put 
men under the law to which they are dead by the 
body of Christ. Yet this is what is generally done 
by modern religionists. Men are taught that 
certain things must be done in order to have 
God's favor, as if the Kingdom of God were meat 
and drink. It is proper to teach men what God 
commands ; but to judge their Christian standing 
by their obedience to this or that ordinance, or 
rite, or ceremony, is to put them under the law. 
Many tender consciences are disturbed by fear 



LOVE 271 

that they may have, through ignorance, missed 
the will of God in some of these outward things. 
For illustration, take the rite of water baptism. A 
variety of things is taught by professed Christian 
teachers on this subject. They differ as to its 
meaning and object, its mode, the proper subjects, 
etc., and each one is sure he teaches the truth in 
the case, and thinks his view is essential to salva- 
tion ; that unless saints are baptized his way they 
are not baptized at all. Who is to decide this 
question? How can the sincere man or woman 
ever be sure he is properly baptized? One sect 
tells him he is, while a dozen tell him he is wrong. 
This is equally true of many other things taught 
as Christian duties. The answer to this confusing 
puzzle is, that it makes no difference. The Apostle 
Paul says respecting such questions, '* Let every 
man be fully persuaded in his own mind." If a 
man love God with all his heart, he has fulfilled 
the whole law; and such outward things, pertain- 
ing to the meat and drink question, as he sees, or 
thinks he sees, to be his duty, let him do them. 
If he fully believes that he ought to keep a day 
holy, let him keep it; if he sees no reason to do 
so, let him not regard the day. If he thinks some 
meats unclean, let him avoid such meats till he 



272 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

learns better ; if he sees there is nothing unclean 
of itself, but only to the man who esteems it so, 
let him make no distinction in meats. If he thinks 
he must be baptized with water, let him do so in the 
manner that will satisfy his conscience. If he sees 
it as not belonging to the Christian system, let 
him refuse to submit to it. Whatever he may do 
or leave undone in the matter is immaterial, so 
that he love God and his neighbor. If he have 
the love he obeys and fulfills the whole law. If 
he have not the love, but is correct in every car- 
nal rite or observance, still he is a violator of every 
precept of the law, for on love to God and our 
neighbor hang all the law and the prophets. How 
gloriously this simplifies matters for us. The law 
the child of God must keep is written in his heart, 
not on tables of stone, or in systems of theology, 
or in books of disciphne. Says Charles Wesley: — 

"Thy nature be my law, 
Thy spotless sanctity." 

Writes the Apostle John, '*Ye have an unction 
from the Holy One and ye know all things." 
''And ye need not that any man teach you but 
as the same anointing teacheth you of all things 
etc." Men's teachings and commandments bring 
saints into bondage, but God's law is a law of 



LOVE 273 

liberty, since it is the law of love. Let us see to it 
then above everything else that we possess the 
love of God in our hearts, and we will be sure to 
do all that he teaches us to do, remembering how- 
ever that love fulfills the law. 

The characteristics of love are described in the 
thirteenth chapter of I Corinthians under the title of 
''the more excellent way." The Apostle is here 
contrasting love with spiritual gifts which the Corin- 
thians were valuing very highly and earnestly 
striving after. He does not discourage their desire 
for these miraculous gifts, but shows them some- 
thing better worth their attention. In the last 
verse of the preceding chapter he writes, '* Covet 
earnestly the best gifts, and yet show I unto you 
a more excellent way." From this we learn that 
love is superior to all gifts, natural or spiritual. 
The ability to speak with tongues, or to interpret 
them, or to heal the body, or to cast out demons, 
will not compare with love in importance. Nor 
will the natural gift of eloquence, or a knowledge 
of Divine truth, rival love in value. Eloquence with- 
out love may please the ear and powerfully affect 
the emotions, but it cannot touch the heart, nor 
pierce the conscience. It is sounding brass and 
tinkhng cymbal, empty of power for good. God's 

C.C.— 18 



2 74 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

word is said to be as fire and hammer to break 
in pieces the flinty rock. But great knowledge 
without love is the hammer alone without the fire, 
and can do no execution. Knowledge is an excel- 
lent thing in company with love, but without love 
it is dangerous. "Knowledge puffeth up." It pro- 
duces tumefaction or swelling. It has the appear- 
ance of growth, but it is not real increase. It is 
an unhealthful condition and indicates the presence 
of a poison, namely, spiritual pride. But " charity 
edifieth." That is, love builds up. Love is an 
antidote to the poison of spiritual pride, and pre- 
vents the swelling which knowledge, by itself, 
produces. The first quality of love mentioned by 
the Apostle is longsuffering. " Love suffereth long 
and is kind." Nothing but love can do this. A 
man without love may suffer long and be silent, 
because he may see no help for his condition. He 
may exercise a great degree of patience, feeling it 
to be useless to resist the inevitable. He will think 
that what cannot be cured must be endured. But 
he will not feel kindly toward the author of his 
suffering. The iron will enter his soul producing 
bitterness and resentment, and if the opportunity 
for vengeance come, he will exact the full measure. 
We see this illustrated in the French Revolution. 



LOVE 275 

The peasantry suffered long, and with apparent 
patience and resignation, the oppressions of the 
aristocracy. But when the opportunity came they 
showed a pent-up fury that was amazing, and the 
innocent suffered with the guilty from the blind 
vengeance of the mob. The Christian, Hke his 
Master who prayed for the forgiveness of His mur- 
derers, reahzes that his persecutors know not what 
they do. He feels a pity for their blindness and 
malice, and feels kindly toward them whatever they 
may do. To be able to love our enemies is the 
test of Christianity. The publicans can love them 
who are their friends and benefactors. Only the 
man who has the love of God shed abroad in his 
heart can be kind to the unthankful and to the 
evil. He can bless them who curse him, and pray 
for those who persecute him ; not pray at them as 
some do. 

" Love envieth not." The absence of envy is 
the second characteristic of love here mentioned 
by the Apostle. Envy springs from self-love. It 
is that unholy temper which causes its possessor 
chagrin and pain at the success or prosperity of 
those who excel or surpass the envious person. 
This cannot spring from love, as we cannot but 
be pleased at the prosperity of those whom we 



276 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

love. It is impossible that we should envy those 
whom we love, and as the Christian loves all men, 
even his enemies, there can be no room for envy 
in his heart. The presence of envy is the positive 
proof of the absence of love therefore. What a 
privilege to be delivered from envy and all kindred 
tempers ! How much they add to the misery and 
unhappiness of mankind. The love of God in the 
heart is a perfect antidote to these evils. 

Love " vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up." 
This is exactly true to nature, the nature of even nat- 
ural love. Love always tends to give the possessor 
humble views of himself. As it tends to exaggerate 
the good qualities and perfections of its object, where 
that is possible, so by contrast the possessor sees 
his own merits diminished. The lover estimates 
himself far inferior to the object of his affections. 
The lover sings not his own praises, but the praises 
of the beloved one. This renders it easy for the 
one who loves to esteem others above himself. 
The love of the brethren enables us "in honor to 
prefer one another." All boastings and swellings 
of self-importance are entirely destroyed by love. 
It levels down and humbles its possessor. 

Love '' doth not behave itself unseemly." This 
is the natural consequence of humihty. It is a 



LOVE 277 

sense of self-importance that causes unseemly con- 
duct. As Shakespeare has written, ''But man, vain 
man; dressed in a little brief authority, most igno- 
rant of what he is most assured, cuts such fantastic 
tricks before high heaven as makes the angels 
weep." There is nothing equal to love for toning 
down the behavior, softening the manners, and mod- 
erating the conduct. It makes its possessor considerate 
of others, affable, and courteous. It makes men 
gentle, and therefore produces real gentlemen. That 
which is called good manners in polite society is 
generally but the imitation of the effects of love in 
the heart. 

Love "seeketh not her own." In other words, 
love is not selfish. This fact is almost self-evi- 
dent. Love is not self-seeking, but seeks the wel- 
fare of the object beloved. This is so generally 
recognized as a fact that it will be unnecessary to 
dwell upon it, and I will proceed at once to the 
application. If I love God, then I will be solici- 
tous for His glory rather than for my own pleasure. 
To know that I please Him will afford more pleasure 
than to know that He blesses me. To know that 
I grieve Him will cause me more pain than His 
chastisements, though they are not joyous. This 
view does not force us to the Hopkinsian theory 



278 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

of disinterested benevolence which carries us to 
unwarranted extremes. It is not necessary that I 
should be willing to be damned for the glory of 
God, since I am . taught that this is not His will; 
that He is not willing that any should perish. And 
besides God will be much more glorified by my 
salvation than by my destruction. But if I love 
God, that which concerns Him will be more dear 
to me than those things which concern myself only. 
My first thought and concern will be for God's 
glory rather than for my own advantage. Instead 
of inquiring what shall I have therefore, I will ask : 

" What can I do my God to love, 
My loving God to praise?'' 

Selfishness makes demands ; love gives, nor 
does it give grudgingly nor of necessity, but cheer- 
fully and freely. Self-examination will enable us 
to ascertain by which motive we are actuated in 
our religious life. 

Love "is not provoked." The authorized ver- 
sion supplies the word " easily," which the new 
translation properly leaves out, as not being in the 
original Greek. This passage is somewhat obscure 
and is, I think, usually misunderstood. It is gen- 
erally explained to mean that love is not roused 
to irritability or anger. But this construction is 



LOVE * 279 

purely gratuitous. It is founded on the common 
use of the term " provoke," meaning to incite to 
anger. But this use of the word is vulgar or 
colloquial and is not literal nor sanctioned by the 
best writers or speakers. The word ** provoke" is 
of Latin origin, and is composed of the prefix '' pro " 
meaning " for, forth, or forward," and the verb 
" vocare," to call ; and means simply " to call 
forth." There is no intimation in the word itself 
as to the nature of that which is called forth. It 
may be a smile or a frown, laughter or tears, 
praise or blame, ''love and good works" or hatred 
and evil-doing. In plain English the statement is 
that '' love is not called forth." To say that it 
means " not incited to anger," is to pass off our 
own notions or imagination as the words of the 
Apostle or of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle sim- 
ply declares that love is not called forth. Taking 
Him to mean what he says, no more, no less, it 
is our business to inquire what He means by the 
declaration. He does not say that love cannot be 
provoked, for it can be. **We love him because 
he first loved us." Love provokes love. When 
the Apostle exhorts us to "provoke one another 
to love and good works," he means that by man- 
ifestations of love we should incite others to like 



28o CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

practices. We are to understand the statement of 
the text then in a general sense and not in a uni- 
versal sense, as having no exceptions. In general, 
love is not provoked. That is to say, the moving 
cause of love is not usually found in the object 
loved, but in the person who loves. In other words, 
love is spontaneous and is not evoked. This is 
evidently true of God's love for sinners. There 
was no moral quality in the sinner to provoke 
love ; God loves the sinner because of what He 
is, and not because of what the sinner is. His 
love is not provoked. In like manner the Christian 
loves all men, not because they are generally lovable, 
but because it is the nature of love in his heart 
to flow out toward them. His love is not pro- 
voked. If we do not love men until they provoke 
it, we will love very few. Though love is sponta- 
neous, it is not bhnd nor undiscriminating. All are 
not loved alike. God loves all mankind, but their 
characters determine the degree and kind of love 
that they receive. His obedient children are loved 
with a peculiar love differing much from that which 
impenitent sinners receive. So also Christians do 
not love all alike. They love their enemies, but 
not as they love their neighbors. They love their 
neighbors, those who are kindly disposed toward 



LOVE 281 

them, as they love themselves. But their brethren 
are loved in a still higher sense, and with greater 
intensity. They prefer them before themselves, 
and are ready, if need be, to lay down their lives 
for the brethren. This is the highest degree of 
which love is capable. And it is capable of it 
only because the love of God is shed abroad in 
the heart. Love, then, generally speaking, is not 
provoked, but flows out as from a spring, whose 
fountainhead is in the skies. 

Love "rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth 
in the truth." By iniquity is meant that which is 
not right or equal. Error will not harmonize with 
error. To speak figuratively, the lines of error do 
not run parallel to each other. They conflict and 
cross one another. This is not true of the truth. 
No one truth ever contradicts any other truth. The 
lines of truth are equal and parallel. Conse- 
quently in truth there is no confusion. Truth always 
proceeds in right, or straight lines. It does not 
turn aside for any man's feehngs or prejudices. It 
will run across the most cherished opinions and 
the most darling lusts. It is uncompromising and 
unrelenting. Only those can rejoice in the truth 
who are willing to get into harmony with it; in 
line with it, so to speak. This most men are not 



282 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

willing to do. Therefore they hate the truth and 
prefer error and falsehood which will accommodate 
themselves to their wishes. Love rejoices in the 
truth because it wishes to be in harmony with God, 
the Author of truth. If truth is painful to us, it 
is because we are not in line with it. And as 
truth is immutable and must at last prevail, it is 
the part of wisdom for us to get into harmony with it. 
To love God is to love the truth. Such one must 
therefore rejoice in the truth. 

" Love thinketh no evil." And " love beareth 
all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, 
endureth all things." The unsuspicious nature of 
love is referred to in the expression " thinketh no 
evil." Love is always disposed to think well of its 
objects. If we love others, we naturally put the 
best construction upon their conduct. Love is ex- 
pert at finding excuses. It is not on the lookout 
for evil developments. When evil is spoken of 
others, it never exclaims, " I told you so." It is 
surprised and pained. Love is no gossip or scan- 
del-monger. In harmony with this quality is love's 
credulousness. " Love believeth all things," that 
is, all good things. It is easy and natural for love 
to believe good of others. It believes evil of them 
only because it must. Because love is credulous 



LOVE 283 

It is liable to be imposed upon, and it needs the 
warning to ''beware of men." Love is not blind; 
it has clear vision. It does not see evil because 
it is not looking for it, and does not wish to see 
it. If I love a man I will beheve good of him so 
long as I can. I will not suspect his motives un- 
til facts force me to do so. But love does not 
ignore facts. It does not call black, white nor 
evil, good. It thinks evil of another only on plain 
undeniable evidence, but it does not ignore such 
evidence. To do so would be folly and weakness. 
But even when the facts are against another, love 
does not give him up. It still " hopeth all things." 
It hopes for better things, and hoping it patiently 
waits. But when there seems to be no longer 
room for hope, it still bears and endures. Though 
despairing, it has no animadversions to make, no 
faults to find, no insult to offer. It silently en- 
dures its disappointment. 

" Love never faileth. But whether there be 
prophecies, they shall fail ; whether there be tongues, 
they shall cease ; whether there be knowledge, it 
shall vanish away. For we know in part and we 
prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect 
is come, then that which is in part shall be done 
away. When I was a child I spake as a child, I 



284 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when 
I became a man I put away childish things. For now 
we see as in a glass, darkly, but then, face to face. 
Now I know in part, but then shall I know even as I 
also am known." In this passage the Apostle shows 
the superiority of love by contrasting it with those 
gifts which the Corinthians so highly valued. Love 
is eternal, while these gifts are temporal and soon to 
pass away. But whether there be prophecies, they 
shall fail. By prophecies, as I have shown in other 
places, is meant any speaking under the influence or 
inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It might be translated 
*' preaching." These belong to this stage of existence 
and have no place in the future ages. Though of 
great value now, prophetic gifts will soon be of no use. 
*' Whether there be tongues, they shall cease." By 
''tongues" here is meant different languages. The 
gift of tongues does not seem to have been given 
for any practical purpose. The Apostle declares 
that tongues were for a sign ; not to enable the 
speaker to address others in language they could 
understand, but generally the contrary. Those 
having the gift of tongues generally spoke in un- 
known languages, and had to have interpreters. 
This gift long ago ceased in the church, for what 
reason I am not prepared to say. ** Whether there 



LOVE 285 

be knowledge, it shall vanish away." We are not 
left to conjecture as to the reason for the failure 
of knowledge. " For we know in part and prophesy 
in part." Our knowledge being partial and im- 
perfect, it will be of no value when perfect knowl- 
edge is enjoyed. The Apostle compares the 
present state of our knowledge with that enjoyed 
in our future state of existence, and illustrates the 
difference in two ways. One is the illustration of 
the mirror. " Now we see as in a mirror, darkly." 
We cannot see truth directly, but only its image. 
We can see but one side of it at a time as in a 
mirror. This can give us but an imperfect knowl- 
edge of it. He also uses the illustration of the 
child and the man. We are but children here, but 
we shall be men after awhile, in the next age. As 
the imperfect knowledge of the child is thrown 
aside as he approaches manhood, so all our knowl- 
edge here gained at the expense of so much time 
and labor will become entirely valueless by the 
perfect information possessed in a future state of 
existence. Men imagine themselves very knowing, 
and pride themselves upon their scientific discov- 
eries. How childish and foolish will their theories 
appear in the eternal world. How appropriate the 
injunction, **Let not the wise man glory in his 



2 86 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

wisdom." It will soon be shown to be a tissue of 
distorted facts, illogical conclusions, and impossible 
theories. The science of the next age will show that 
what is now called by that name is ** science falsely 
so called." When "that which is perfect is come," 
when after the redemption of the body we shall pos- 
sess physical and mental perfection, knowledge will 
be acquired with ease and accuracy. Instead of 
arriving at truth by a labored process of reason- 
ing, we shall ''know as we are known." We shall 
see truth face to face. Intuition will take the place 
of logical deduction, and certainty the place of 
doubt. With a perfect brain as an instrument of 
mental action, all men will stand on an equal foot- 
ing. The inequalities of the present life will dis- 
appear. No one will possess any advantage, no 
one be handicapped in the race. In the inequal- 
ities of this life God acts as a Sovereign in parcel- 
ling them out, and who shall say to Him, ''What 
doest thou?" One man is born strong and 
healthy, another weak and puny. One with a vigorous 
and active brain, another with a brain weak and 
sluggish. One is surrounded with all the advan- 
tages which wealth and culture can afford, another 
is hampered by poverty and ignorance. But these 
differences are but temporary and the results of 



LOVE 287 

the fall of man. The differences In men them- 
selves, aside from difference of circumstances, is 
in the physical man alone. The physical results 
of the first sin fall unequally upon men. Some 
are idiotic, some have powerful brains capable of 
great improvement and education. Mentally, the 
two are equal : that is, the difference is not in the 
immaterial principle, but in the vehicle through 
which the mind acts. But in the resurrection the 
idiot and the savant will be mental equals. Nor 
will the present advantages of the philosopher avail 
him anything in the next age. His imperfect 
knowledge will be discarded when that which is 
perfect is come. Every man will be a normal 
human being, no more, no less. I speak of the 
resurrection of the just. These apparent partialities 
will disappear forever. I speak only of what men 
will be, not what they will receive. In these 
things they will differ as their faithfulness and re- 
sponsibilities differ. In this respect '' one star will 
excel another star in glory." All the stores of 
present knowledge then will disappear when we 
reach the perfect state, when we become perfect 
human beings, as the angels are perfect in their 
sphere. But though all present human knowledge 
shall vanish away, love will continue unchangeably 



2 88 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

the same. In this its great superiority appears. 
These gifts are for a brief period. Love is eternal. 
" And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these 
three. But the greatest of these is charit}^" Herein 
Love is declared to be superior, not only to 
these temporary spiritual gifts, but also to faith and 
hope. In the eleventh chapter of Hebrews faith 
is greatly eulogized, but love is here declared its 
superior. This is not, as some suppose, because 
they too shall cease, as the poet declares : — 

" When faith is sweetly lost in sight, 
And hope in full supreme delight." 

It is not probable that either faith or hope 
shall be strangers to the next age, or to any suc- 
ceeding ages. The Apostle here, on the contrary, 
classes them among the things that abide. Supreme 
felicity will certainly not wholly displace hope. 
There will still be a looking forward to the con- 
tinuance of this state of happiness. ** Hope will 
spring eternal in the human breast," though the 
present leaves nothing more to be desired. Faith 
as a condition of favor with God, it is true, will no 
longer exist. Nor will faith supply the place of 
kno>vledge as it does now. But faith, in the sense 
of reliance upon God, and a sure trust in His good- 
ness, will certainly endure. But though faith and 



LOVE 289 

hope will not cease to exist, they there, as now, 
will but emphasize and mark the finite limitations 
of redeemed humanity. These but manifest our 
unlikeness to God. On the other hand, love is 
the nature of Deity. The man who loves is like 
God. Love is God's image and likeness. In trust- 
ing and hoping we show our unlikeness to God, 
but in loving we show our likeness to Him. Love 
shows our unity of nature with God ; in it we are 
made ''partakers of the Divine nature." In this 
respect then love is superior to faith and hope. 
**The greatest of these is love." 

Love is equally adapted to all ages and all 
dispensations. Age may succeed age, be rolled 
up as a scroll and be placed among the dusty rec- 
ords of the past, but love will remain unchanged 
and unchangeable, because it is Divine. No mark 
of age will mar its eternal youth and beauty; for 
God himself is love. 

Love is the strongest moral force in the uni- 
verse. It bears a similar relation to the spiritual 
world as gravitation has in the material universe. 
All pure intelligences are kept by love in their 
respective spheres, and order and harmony is pre- 
served. It unites them together and controls their 

mutual relations, and binds them to God, the com- 
c.c. — 19 



2 90 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

mon center from whom they derive their happiness. 
No one is entirely lost to hope, when he can be 
touched by love. In this capabiHty is found the 
salvabiHty of the lost human race. Without it 
their case would be as hopeless as that of the 
demons. The lost sinner may be unmoved by 
threats of vengeance, and by the menaces of 
offended justice, as well as by hope of happiness 
and of future reward. But a sense of God's love 
when first realized will penetrate and rouse him. 
He will find himself moved with a desire to re- 
ciprocate that love. If this desire be yielded to, 
he will be brought to God and saved. But if re- 
sisted he will be hardened. If persistently and 
stubbornly resisted, he will gradually become in- 
sensible to the influence of Divine love, and sink 
into a spiritual stupor, which precedes and fore- 
tells the second death. He becomes " twice dead ; 
plucked up by the roots." His case has now be- 
come as hopeless as that of the demons themselves. 
When love fails to rouse and save, there is no 
other power that can speak life into the dead. 
No purgatorial fires can benefit him who has suc- 
cessfully resisted Infinite Love. He is irretrievably 
lost. Being uninfluenced by the power of spiritual 
gravity, he is like a comet, which has lost its orbit, 



LOVE 291 

a wandering star for whom is reserved the black- 
ness of darkness forever. 

The Lord help you and me, while we feel the 
drawings of Divine Love to yield to its influences 
and be saved. 

"O, may His love our hearts constrain, 
Nor suffer Him to die in vain." 



THE TWO COVENANTS 



In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first 
old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to 
vanish away.— Heb. viii : 13. 

Rightly dividing the word of truth.— II Tim. ii : 15. 

'TpHE subject of the nature and relations of the 
two covenants or dispensations, the Jewish 
and the Christian, is one of interest as well as 
of practical importance. The want of a clear un- 
derstanding of these matters has led to great con- 
fusion of ideas and a resultant lowering of the 
standard of Christian living. The prevailing igno- 
rance upon this subject is not chargeable to a 
want of plain teaching in the Scriptures upon these 
points, but to want of spiritual perception on the 
part of religious teachers. There are many truths 
lying right on the surface of God's Word that 
have escaped their notice. A cut-and-dried the- 
ology is much to be blamed for a slowness to learn 
the teachings of the Scriptures, it is admitted, but 
the great hindrance to learning is disobedience. It 

is only those who are willing to do God's will who 
(292) 



THE TWO COVENANTS 293 

shall know of the doctrine or teachings of Christ. 
To the disobedient He is a stone of stumbHng and 
a rock of offense. It was never intended that 
those who would not obey God should understand 
His words. Because there is so much unwiUingness 
to obey God, there is so much ignorance of spirit- 
ual things among modern Christians, so called. It 
may be truly said of them, notwithstanding their 
Chautauqua circles, their Bible schools, and theo- 
logical seminaries, "Ever learning, but never able 
to come to the knowledge of the truth." In Christ 
are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 
To get at these treasures we must get into Christ. 
This can only be done by entire self-abandonment, 
which few are willing to make. The place of this 
self-denial cannot be supplied by learning or re- 
search. These keys will not unlock the treasure 
house of wisdom. The truth on this subject is 
not new, but seems so because generally overlooked 
or ignored. 

The word ''covenant" is a translation of the 
Greek word ** diatheke" and is sometimes trans- 
lated ''testament" and at other times "covenant." 
The two parts of the Bible are usually called the 
Old Testament and the New Testament. But they 
can just as properly be called the Old and New 



2 94 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Covenants. There is quite a difference in the 
meaning of the two words however. A testament 
is a will which takes effect after the testator's death. 
A covenant is a contract entered into by two dif- 
ferent persons or parties. It is declared in Heb. 
ix : 1 6, " For where a testament is there must also 
of necessity be the death of the testator." Now 
in the case of the Old Testament there is no death 
of any testator; so it would more consistently be 
called the " Old Covenant." This verse in Hebrews 
would probably more properly be translated thus : 
**For where a covenant is there must also of neces- 
sity be the death of the victim." The writer here 
evidently refers to the ancient form of making cov- 
enants or contracts. A victim was slain and di- 
vided into two equal parts, the parties to the 
contract took their stand between the two divided 
parts of the victim, and a third party, the witness 
or mediator, took the blood of the victim, and 
applied it to each of the principals of the cov- 
enant. The contract was not binding until the 
victim was slain. The context shows this to be the 
writer's meaning, since he goes on to show that in 
the case of the Old Covenant the victims were slain, 
and that the Mediator, Moses, took the blood with 
scarlet wool and hyssop and sprinkled the book 



THE TWO COVENANTS 295 

and all the people. The other party, of course, 
could not be sprinkled with the blood. 

In the case of the New Covenant, Christ is first 
the victim, and after His resurrection and ascension 
to Heaven, He became our Mediator and High 
Priest; having entered not the holy places made 
with hands, but into heaven itself there to appear 
in our behalf. We have come to '* Jesus the Me- 
diator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of 
sprinkling which speaketh better things than that 
of Abel." 

God has then made two distinct covenants with 
two distinct peoples or churches; Abraham rep- 
resenting both, the one his natural, the other his 
spiritual seed. These, the two churches, are plainly 
taught to be distinct and separate institutions. 
How the notion of their identity originated, I am 
at a loss to conjecture. And yet all paedo-baptist 
sects hold to that identity, and base upon its ex- 
istence the doctrine of Infant church membership. 
The doctrine and this fact upon which it is based 
are both erroneous. Each church is a nation, the 
one by natural decent from Abraham, membership 
being based upon the circumstance of natural 
birth ; the other nation being born, " not of blood, 
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, 



296 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

but of God."" The Israelites were alwa}-s one na- 
tion or people ; but St. Peter declares of the Chris- 
tian nation, that it was originally not " a people," 
but it is now the people of God. As the one 
nation was originally one by natural birth, and the 
other became one only by a second birth, they 
cannot be the same people. Christ tells the Jews, 
in the parable of the vineyard, that the kingdom 
should be taken from them and given to a nation 
which should bring forth the fruits thereof, which 
they did not do. The nation to whom the king- 
dom is given must be a different one from the 
nation from whom it is taken. One was the Jew- 
ish church, the other is the Church of Christ. If 
the two churches were identical, then membership 
in one would constitute membership in the other. 
So all Jevrs would ha\-e been, z/^so facto, members 
of the church of Christ, which they never were. 
The burden of proof rests upon those who hold to 
the identit}' of the two institutions. 

Again we are told in Heb. xii : 18-22, "But ye 
are not come unto the mount that might be touched, 
and that burned with fire, etc. But ye are come 
unto Mount Zion, the citv' of the living God, the 
heavenly Jerusalem, and to the general assembly 
and church of the firstborn." In this passage the 



THE TWO COVENANTS 297 

two churches are evidently meant. The Jewish 
church represented by Mt. Sinai, the Christian 
church by Mount Zion. In fact we are told that 
Mount Zion is '' the church of the firstborn and 
the heavenly Jerusalem." In another place St. Paul 
tells us that '^ Jerusalem which is above is free 
and the mother of us all," the Jerusalem which 
now is, being in bondage. These two institutions 
can no more be identical than were Mounts Sinai 
and Zion. In another place it is said, " Rejoice 
thou barren that bearest not, break forth into sing- 
ing thou that travailest not, for the desolate hath 
many more children than she which hath a hus- 
band." The former, represented by barren Sarah, 
is the church of Christ; the latter, represented by 
the fertile Hagar, is the Jewish church. They can 
no more be the same institution than Sarah and 
Hagar were the same woman. But it is unnecessary 
to multiply quotations to substantiate the point. It 
is clearly, sufificiently established. 

The difference in nature of the two churches 
shows this distinctness. The covenant made with 
the Israelites had no mention made of any other 
world than this. Long life was promised, but it 
was to be enjoyed in the land given to them. 
Health was promised, but it was health of body, 



298 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

not of soul. Riches, but they were worldly pos- 
sessions, and not spiritual wealth. Libert}', but it 
was freedom from poHtical oppression and out of 
the hands of their mortal enemies, not libert>^ from 
sin. Punishment for disobedience was threatened, 
but the severest penalty was physical death. " He 
that despised ]\Ioses' law died without mercy under 
two or three witnesses/" but a much sorer punish- 
ment awaits those who trample under foot the Son 
of God. and count the blood of the covenant where- 
with the}- were sanctified an unholy thing, and do 
despite unto the Spirit of Grace. In the Old 
Covenant no future world is mentioned, no promise 
of future reward is made, nor is any future punish- 
ment threatened. Jesus Christ brought life and 
immortalit}- to light in the Gospel. The Old 
Co\-enant had nothing whatever to do with the 
future state of those under it. Xo^ did moral 
character affect their right to membership in the 
Jewish churchy If a man was born a Jew and 
circumcised, he was in the covenant. He might 
be guilt}^ of murder, adulter}-, and pol}-gamy as 
was King David, and still remain in the covenant. 
Like Joab, he might kill his neighbor in cold 
blood, without cutting himself off from God's peo- 
ple. But ever}' man child not circumcised was cut 



THE TWO COVENANTS 299 

off from God's people. The carnal rite of circum- 
cision had more importance in determining his 
relation to the covenant than the highest virtues 
or the vilest crimes. The fact that moral character 
was not considered in the condition of membership 
in the Jewish church, shows the nature of that 
church and the religion established. It was clearly 
external and ceremonial. It consisted of *' meats 
and drinks and divers washings and carnal ordi- 
nances imposed on them until the time of reform- 
ation." Nothing more. There was not one spiritual 
item in their religion. This is a fact generally 
lost sight of. The Old Covenant required works; 
their obedience was outward and not of the heart. 
The terms of the covenant required not faith, but 
external obedience to law. The law said *' He that 
doeth these things shall live by them." The at- 
tempt to mix in the religion of the heart with such 
a system is absurd. The Jewish religion was 
wholly carnal without any mixture of spirituality. 
But it may be asked, "Were there not some per- 
sons living previous to the Christian age who had 
faith?" I answer, certainly there were. But the 
Old Covenant had nothing to do with their faith. 
From righteous Abel to Simeon, there were persons 
who had faith. But this faith made them minor 



30O CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

heirs under the New Covenant to be established 
later. But while minor heirs and until the promised 
Seed came to whom the promise was made, they 
were under the bondage of law and *' differed 
nothing from a servant" and were treated just as 
the spiritual descendant of Hagar the bondwoman, 
though by faith they were truly heirs of the Free 
Woman. Their faith had nothing to do with their 
relation to the Old Covenant, They were just as 
truly members of the Jewish church without faith. 
Before the coming of Christ, these heirs of salva- 
tion were kept under bondage to the *' rudiments 
of the world," differing nothing from slaves ** until 
the time appointed of the Father." 

It was these minor heirs under the New Cov- 
enant, who "through faith subdued kingdoms, 
wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped 
the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, 
escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness 
were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, put to 
flight the armies of the aliens." But it was by 
faith which made them the spiritual children of 
Abraham that they did these wonders. But it was 
as Abraham's natural seed that they were heirs 
under the Old Covenant. These believers were 
minor heirs, as I have shown elsewhere, because 



THE TWO COVENANTS 30J 

they had not yet obtained the salvation promised 
to those having faith. *' They without us could 
not be made perfect." As heirs under the Old 
Covenant they had portions of the promised land 
allotted them, and were under the especial care 
and tutelage of Jehovah. In a sense they were His 
people, His church. They entered into covenant 
with him first at Sinai, amid the most terrifying 
displays of God's power. The sights were so ter- 
rible that even Moses was exceedingly afraid and 
quaked with fright. Under such circumstances, 
and amid such surroundings, not much freedom of 
action was possible. To use a common phrase, 
" They were scared into their religion." The prin- 
cipal motive of their service was fear. This was 
seconded by hope of temporal rewards. They were 
" uncircumcised in heart and ears," as Stephen 
charges. '^ The whole house of Israel was uncir- 
cumcised in heart." They were natural men moved 
by fear to take upon themselves vows and obliga- 
tions which they were quick to disregard. When 
God smote them, then they feared Him, but their 
goodness was like the early cloud and like the 
morning dew. They were bent on backsliding. 
They never, during their whole history, for any 
great length of time, kept the vows they had made., 



30 2 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Because they continued not in His covenant, God 
regarded them not. " They did ahvays err in their 
heart," never having had any real spirit of obedi- 
ence. When they remembered that *' God was 
their Rock, and the High God their salvation," 
even then they '' lied unto him with their tongues," 
and were not faithful to their covenant. We won- 
der sometimes at God's severity toward His ancient 
people. But nothing but the most heroic treat- 
ment would keep them within bounds. They were 
called out from among the nations and made the 
depository of revealed truths not for their own 
good alone, but for the good of the world at large. 
They had also the " lively oracles " through whom 
God communicated with men. The High-Priest 
wearing the Ephod was an oracle. Through him 
God answered by Urim and Thummim. But the 
prophets whom God raised up and sent ^to His peo- 
ple were the most common oracles. Through them 
God communicated His will to His chosen. They 
had many advantages, as St. Paul shows, but the 
oracles of God constituted their chief advantage. 
But all their superior opportunities made them, in 
general, more supercilious, trusting in themselves 
that they were righteous, and despising others. In 
vain did they receive hne upon line, and precept 



THE TWO COVENANTS 303 

upon precept; they still failed to be instructed. In 
vain were they disciplined until Jehovah inquires, 
Why should ye be stricken any more? The whole 
head is sick and the whole heart faint. From the 
crown of the head to the feet there was no sound- 
ness, but wounds and bruises, and putrefying sores. 
They were incorrigible. In spite of fifteen hun- 
dred years of faithful dealing, they still resisted the 
Holy Ghost and when Christ came unto His own He 
found them unwilling to receive Him, and they ended 
in rejecting their Messiah and crucifying their King 
and brought down upon themselves the vengeance of 
Heaven of which the Roman soldiers under Titus and 
Vespasian were the executors who took and de- 
stroyed the Holy City and laid it in ruins, and 
sold them into slavery until the slave markets of 
the world were glutted. Such was God's ancient 
people. Their birth a natural one, their country 
of this world ; their righteousness ceremonial ; their 
service a round of mere outward forms and carnal 
ordinances ; their worship external ceremonies, noise 
of trumpets, making of prayers, an observance of 
days and weeks and times and seasons. It was a 
fleshly church without any spiritual characteristics. 
The Covenant made with them respected this world 
only. How different the Church of Christ, the 



304 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Church of the New Covenant ! Of her members 
it may be said, their birth is from above ; their 
righteousness inward hoHness ; their service, the 
service of love ; their worship in Spirit and in 
truth, without limitation of time or place. Their 
country is a heavenly one to which they are hasten- 
ing. Christ's church is Jerusalem which is above, 
which is free. She has heavenly ways. There is 
nothing fleshly about her. "The Kingdom of God 
is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace 
and joy in the Holy Ghost." The church of the 
New Covenant is as free from anything fleshly as 
the Old Covenant church was free from anything 
spiritual. God's ancient people were stiff-necked 
and disobedient. They were unlike Him in their 
natures and so erred in their hearts. God's present 
people is a wilHng people in this the day of God's 
power. They love God and therefore will do His 
will. Having pure hearts they see God and their 
ears are open to instruction. His commandments, 
instead of being a yoke of bondage, are to them 
a law of liberty. '* His commandments are not 
grievous." His yoke is easy and His burden is 
light and they find rest to their souls. They are 
the nation which brings forth the fruits in their 
seasons. Those fruits are love, peace, joy, long- 



1 



THE TWO COVENANTS 305 

suffering, godliness, meekness, faith, temperance, etc., 
against which there is no law. They not only 
love God and therefore keep His commandments, 
but they love their neighbors as themselves. The 
righteousness of the law which is love to God and 
men, is fulfilled in them who walk not after the 
flesh, but after the Spirit. They have the mind of 
Christ and are made partakers of the Divine nature. 
By the one Spirit they are baptized into the one 
body and all drink into one Spirit. They pray in 
the Spirit, they sing in the Spirit, they walk in the 
Spirit. Thus they are as different from the former 
church as Heaven is different from earth. One 
special feature of the Jewish church was its in- 
stability and inconstancy. She was said to be 
bent on backsliding. Said the prophet, " Ephraim 
is a backsliding heifer." For this reason she is 
fitly represented by the moon which constantly 
waxes and wanes. But the church of Christ, repre- 
sented by the woman clothed with the sun, has 
the moon under her feet. The Sun, on the other 
hand, is the emblem of the New Covenant church, 
since, like him, she is constant and stable. There 
is not one word said about the backsHding of 
Christ's church. The Jewish church is continually 

charged with being an unfaithful spouse, guilty of 
c.c. — 20 



3o6 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

idolatrous adulteries. The church of Christ is, on 
the other hand, described as a chaste virgin, true 
to her espousals and faithfully waiting for the 
marriage feast. There is nothing said concerning 
her backslidings. God, under the Old Covenant, 
was truly ** married to the backslider," but not now. 
Now it is said, "If any man draw back, my soul 
shall have no pleasure in him." Now God expects 
better things, even things accompanying salvation. 
The reason God gives for making a New Covenant 
with a new Israel is, "They continued not in my 
covenant and I regarded them not, saith the Lord." 
Not much would be gained by entering into a 
covenant with another people equally unreliable 
and inconstant. I know this is often represented 
to be what God has done, but the charge is a libel on 
His wisdom, and on the church which is sanctified 
with His blood. God has repudiated His covenant 
with backsliders, and has warned His people say- 
ing, *' Beware lest there be in any of you an evil 
heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God." 
Of those who fall away or apostatize it is said, 
" It is impossible to renew them unto repentance. 
Seeing they have crucified to themselves the Son 
of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." 
For such there "remaineth no more sacrifice for 



THE TWO COVENANTS 307 

sin." They have put away the only sacrifice, the 
one sacrifice for sin, and there remaineth for them 
nothing but a certain fearful looking for of judg- 
ment. It is true that among nominal Christians, 
there is much the same state of things as existed 
among the Jews anciently. But such are not un- 
der the New Covenant. They have never come 
out from among unbelievers, touching not the un- 
clean, that God might receive them, and be a 
Father unto them, and that they might be His sons 
and daughters. They have never really tasted of 
the good word of God, and the powers of the world 
to come, and been made partakers of the Holy 
Ghost. Their risings and fallings, their lapses and 
reclamations amount to nothing. They are not 
crucified at all. It is true that men may fall away 
from Christ, but when they do so they fall finally. 
They may draw back, but they draw back to per- 
dition. This result is reached by willful sin only: 
There is a '' sin not unto death," which is fallen into 
through deception or through surprise which, when 
seen, is repudiated. But to the man who has 
tasted of the saving grace of God, to deliberately 
and knowingly sin against God, is to crucify Christ 
afresh and to trample on the blood of the cov- 
enant. He sins against the Holy Ghost, having 



3o8 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

done despite unto the Spirit of Grace. The com- 
mon notion of the triviality of backsliding is a very 
erroneous and dangerous one. In this respect the 
church of Christ differs from the Jewish church in 
toto genere. It is not a backsliding church. The Old 
Covenant was a temporary arrangement, intervening 
between the promise made to Abraham and the com- 
ing of Christ, the promised Seed. It was intended to 
instruct and prepare its subjects for the coming of 
the promised Messiah. St. Paul tells us that the 
law entered that the offense might abound. It was 
never intended to save men from sin under its 
provision. It is impossible that the blood of bulls 
and goats should take away sins. But its onerous 
rites and its scrupulous provisions against cere- 
monial defilement, and the cost and inconvenience 
of obtaining ceremonial cleansing, were intended to 
impress upon the Jew the nature of sin and its 
danger to the soul. It was a law of bondage, 
while the Gospel is a law of liberty. Peter declares 
it was a yoke which neither they nor their fathers 
could bear. It was a dispensation of condemna- 
tion as contrasted with the present dispensation of 
justification. It brought death, while the Gospel 
brings life and imm.ortality. *' The law worketh 
wrath ; " the Gospel brings peace and good-will. 



THE TWO COVENANTS 309 

But though the two covenants are so unhke 
and diverse, they are closely related to each other. 
They stand to each other in the relation of type 
and antetype. It is because of this fact that the 
Old Covenant has an interest for us. Its require- 
ments lay no obligations upon us. *'We are dead 
to the law by the body of Christ." Its sacrifices, 
its Sabbaths, its new moons and solemn feasts, its 
baptisms, its distinction of clean and unclean meats, 
have no more to do with us than if they had 
never existed. We are to allow no man to judge 
us by such rules. **Let no man judge you with 
respect to meats and drinks, the new moon and 
the Sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to 
come." All these things were nailed to Christ's 
cross as being among the handwriting of ordinances 
which were against us, which were contrary to us. 
But while the Old Covenant in none of its require- 
ments has any demands upon us, it still has many 
lessons for us. ** Whatever was written aforetime 
was written for our learning." We may derive 
much instruction from the history of God's deaHngs 
with his people. The whole matter is a parable, 
a figure, an allegory. The New Testament writers, 
by their application of passages quoted from the 
Old Testament, show many things to be figurative 



3IO CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

which we should scarcely suspect to be so. The 
study of the Old Testament to discern its figurative 
meaning and its spiritual application is very inter- 
esting and profitable. 

Before proceeding to the consideration of the 
next point, I will add an explanation to prevent 
any misconception. When we speak of the King- 
dom being taken from the Jews, it is not meant 
that they are denied membership in the new king- 
dom, or that the new church is exclusively a Gen- 
tile church. It is meant only that the Jews as a 
nation are deprived of those exclusive and peculiar 
privileges which they enjoyed under the law. The 
kingdom is taken from them as a nation and given 
to them as individuals on exactly the same con- 
ditions as to others. They have the same rights 
and privileges as all others and no more. The 
middle wall of partition is broken down to make 
of twain one new man so making peace. It is 
true that the Jew had the first offer of Gospel 
privileges. They were to the Jew first, and also 
to the Greek. But otherwise in Christ, "There is 
neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor 
female, but all are one in Christ Jesus." This 
equality with those whom they had been taught 
to consider as dogs and outcasts offended them. 



THE TWO COVENANTS 311 

Salvation by faith without the works of the law 
stumbled them. "They stumbled at that stumbhng- 
stone." Like the elder brother of the prodigal, 
they refused to come into the feast at which the 
prodigal was admitted on equal terms. The mass 
of the nation became obdurate and have remained 
so until the present day. 

But little has been written upon this important 
subject, and that in a desultory manner. Nor will 
there be space within the limits of the sermon to 
do them justice. But I will do what I can to 
make clear this relation between the two covenants. 
I repeat then, that the two covenants stand to each 
other in the relation of type and antetype. The 
first wholly natural, the second wholly spiritual. 
The call to Abram is a type of the call to spirit- 
ual Hfe. As he in a natural sense forsook home 
and friends to go to a strange and unknown land, 
so we are commanded in a spiritual sense to for- 
sake all that we have to become Disciples of Christ. 
Abram went out, not knowing whither he went, to 
a land to be shown him afterward. So — 

" His call we obey like Abram of old ; 
"We know not our way. but faith makes us bold." 

His call was a Divine call and a personal 
one. So must ours be. By faith he went out, not 



312 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

knowing whither he went. So by faith we entrust 
our all to God's care and providence. His sojourn 
in the promised land as in a strange country, hav- 
ing no ownership in it, typifies our sojourn upon 
the earth as pilgrims and foreigners, a land which 
we shall inherit. "Blessed are the meek, for they 
shall inherit the earth." There were dwellers in 
Canaan when Abraham was there, but they were 
not heirs of the land. They held it by no Divine 
title. So it is now on this earth. His dweUing in 
tents in a land of walled towns, with Isaac and 
Jacob, fellow-heirs of the promise, represents the 
spiritual sojourn of Christians in this world as 
strangers and outcasts, seeking a heavenly countfy. 
His barren wife Sarah is a type of the church of 
Christ, while his fertile concubine, Hagar, stands for 
the Mosaic church, and all others who like them 
are born only after the flesh. Ishmael and Isaac 
are also types, the former, of spiritual bondage, 
the latter, of spiritual liberty, according to the 
Apostle Paul. All who are slaves to sin and fear 
are the spiritual children of Hagar. Those who are 
freed from sin and the fear of death are the child- 
ren of Sarah, the freewoman, and heirs of all the 
promises. Most rehgious people at the present are 
the spiritual descendants of Hagar, as were the Jews 



THE TWO COVENANTS 313 

under the Old Covenant. God's real people are 
children of promise as was Isaac, and are the 
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. The Old 
Covenant left men slaves, the New Covenant makes 
men free. The Old Covenant church was begun 
in the family of Abraham when he received the 
rite of circumcision, but was completed in the time 
of the exodus under Moses. Jacob and Esau are 
also types ; the one of profane, the other of spirit- 
ual persons. Jacob's course is especially typical, 
but space would fail to follow the figure through- 
out. The land of Canaan is not only a type of 
the redeemed earth which the saints shall inherit, 
but also of the spiritual rest enjoyed by the people 
of God in this life. Joshua's bringing the Israelites 
into the promised land, according to Hebrew iv, 
typifies the spiritual rest, the real Sabbath, en- 
joyed by the people of God under the New Cov- 
enant. The bondage in Egypt of the Israelites 
typifies bondage to sin. The passage of the Red 
Sea typifies the new birth, the deHverance of the 
Israelites represents deliverance from the power of 
sin and Satan ; the rejoicing, the joy of salvation. 
The song they sang, the song of Moses typifies the 
Song of Redemption, the Song of the Lamb. The 
journeyings in the wilderness, the forty years 



314 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

wanderings, are used by the Apostle Paul to rep- 
resent the experience of God's people in this world. 
The baptism in the Red Sea t}'pifies that baptism 
which brings us into Christ. They were all bap- 
tized into Moses ; we are baptized into Christ. The 
manna they ate and the water they drank both 
typified the Bread and Water of life. The giving 
of the law at Sinai and the covenant there entered 
into by the Israelites is typical of the new law and 
the New Covenant. The Sabbath then instituted 
was a type or shadow, as St. Paul declares. Col. 
ii:i6, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, 
or in drink, or in respect of an hoh- day. or of the 
new moon, or of the Sabbath days ; which are all 
shadows of things to come." The sacrifices were 
all of them types of the one great sacrifice, the 
Lord Jesus Christ who offered himself without spot 
to God. The various washings and cleansings were 
all t}'pes of the washing of regeneration, even the 
renewing of the Holy Ghost. The distinction of 
clean and unclean meats was typical, indicating that 
truth and falsehood may ver}- nearly resemble 
each other, but while the one is wholesome, the 
other is poison, to the soul; and that there are 
certain miarks by which they may be distinguished. 
The prohibition of mixture in seeds and in the 



THE TWO COVENANTS 315 

material of garments, and even of working animals, 
all testify to God's abhorrence of the mixture of 
truth and falsehood ; of the outward yoking of be- 
liever and unbeliever. The ceremonial defilement 
of the touch of a dead body or any part of it 
testifies to the pollution of the soul through spirit- 
ual contact with sinners. *'Can we touch pitch 
and not be defiled?" **Evil communications cor- 
rupt good manners." The creation of the taber- 
nacle in the wilderness and the service therein are 
all very significant. This tabernacle was afterward 
established upon Mount Zion by King David and 
is the type of the militant church of Christ; as 
the temple built by Solomon is a type of the 
triumphant and glorified church. David being a 
man of war was not allowed to build this temple, 
much as he desired to do so. But Solomon being 
a man of peace, representing Christ reigning over 
a subdued earth, was commissioned to build a house 
for God. In the Acts of the Apostles, the ''re- 
building of the tabernacle of David which was 
fallen down" is applied to the founding of the 
church of Christ, thus showing that the tabernacle 
is a type of this church. The Holy place repre- 
sents the church on earth, the Holy of Holies 
represents Heaven. The curtain or vail separating 



3i6 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

the two represents the fact that the way into the 
Hohest was not }-et made manifest; that under the 
Old Covenant a fitness for service in the Holy 
place did not fit one for entrance into the Holiest. 
The High Priest alone was permitted to enter the 
Holy of Holies once a year with fear and trembling 
to make atonement for his own sins and the sins 
of the people. But when Christ died, the vail was 
rent in twain, showing that since our High Priest 
had entered the antetypical Hoh' of Holies, that is 
Heaven itself, with His own blood as an offering 
for sin, the separation betvreen Heaven and earth 
had disappeared, and that to enter the church was 
to be fitted for Heaven. The Holy of Holies con- 
tained the Ark of the Covenant with the mercy 
seat overlaid with gold. Only the High Priest 
could approach that mercy seat under the Old 
Covenant, but now any believer is encouraged to 
come to the throne of grace with boldness, that he 
may obtain mercy. The Ark of the Covenant is 
itself a type of a child of God. The three things 
contained in the ark are t}'pes of spiritual things 
found in the heart of the Christian. The book of 
the law represents the law written in the heart. 
The pot of manna is Christ the bread of life formed 
within the hope of glory. The rod of Aaion that 



THE TWO COVENANTS 317 

budded though separated from its parent stem rep- 
resents the miraculous Hfe existing in every be- 
Hever. '^ He that hath the Son hath Hfe." '' He 
that beHeveth has everlasting life." The capture 
of the ark by the Philistines, the news of which, 
and the loss of his two sons, caused the death of 
the High Priest Eli, and gave the name of Ichabod 
to his newly born grandson ; the captivity of the 
ark, its journeyings from city to city, with the con- 
sequences to its captors and their idols ; their 
sending it back to Judea, and the death of those 
who presumptuously looked into it ; its stay in the 
house of Abinadab for twenty years ; David's at- 
tempt to remove it by unlawfully placing it upon 
a cart; the fate of Uzzah for touching the ark to 
steady it, which was unlawful ; David's fear and the 
stay of the ark for three months in the house 
of Obed Edom, and David's final removal of the 
ark to the city of David, where he incurred the 
ridicule of his wife, the daughter of Saul, for danc- 
ing before the ark ; all these things are very interest- 
ing and significant, but cannot be considered at 
length in this place. 

The reigns of Saul and David, the latter rep- 
resenting the true, the former the apostate, church, 
furnish much instruction to the spiritual reader and 



3i8 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Student. Jonathan's vacillation between the two, 
his heart with David, his interest with Saul, and 
the final result of it all, teaches an impressive les- 
son to those who play that part. *' I am distressed 
for thee, my brother Jonathan." The temple at 
Jerusalem, in so far as it was the dwelling-place of Je- 
hovah, is a type of Christ's body, and of the body of 
the Christian. Jesus said, " Destroy this temple, and 
I will build It again in three days." He here makes 
the temple the type of His body. The Apostle 
says, '* Know ye not that your bodies are the tem- 
ple of the Holy Ghost?" Here each believer's 
body is the antetype of the temple at Jerusalem. 
Thus I might go on indefinitely multiplying types, 
but probably enough has been said to show how 
full the Old Covenant history is of types, and there 
is danger of becoming tiresome to the reader. 

The Old Covenant was wholly symbolical in 
its nature. There was nothing spiritual in the re- 
ligion it taught and inculcated. This is clearly 
stated in Heb. ix : 9, 10: "Which was a figure for 
the time then present ; in which were offered both 
gifts and sacrifices, that could not make them that 
did the service perfect as pertaining to the con- 
science. Which stood only in meats and drinks, 
and divers washings [baptisms], and carnal or- 



THE TWO COVENANTS 319 

dinances, imposed on them until the time of refor- 
mation." It stood in meats and drinks, etc., and 
in them alone. These were the whole of the reli- 
gion under that covenant. But we are told by the 
Apostle Paul that, '' The Kingdom of God is not 
meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and 
joy in the Holy Ghost." Herein we see the dis- 
tinction of the two covenants. One is wholly 
without meat and drink, the other consists wholly 
of these things. One is wholly typical, the other 
wholly antetypical. One is wholly carnal, the other 
is wholly spiritual. One is the religion of outward 
forms and ceremonies, the other is the reHgion of 
the heart. In the one, outward ordinances, rites, 
and observances were everything; in the other they 
are nothing. The one was temporary, the other 
is eternal. " And this word, but once more, signi- 
fieth the removing of those things that are shaken, 
as of things that are made ; that those things which 
cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we re- 
ceiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us 
have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably 
with reverence and Godly fear." — Heb. xii : 27,28. 
The shaking of earth and also heaven as promised 
in the preceding verse signifies the change of dis- 
pensations or covenants. The things that could be 



320 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

shaken all belonged to the former dispensation. 
All types, shadows, and emblems are of this nature, 
and they are all removed. Only those things which 
cannot be shaken remain, and they are eternal. 
We have received a kingdom which cannot be 
moved, because it consists of eternal verities. There 
is nothing shadowy or temporary in it, or belong- 
ing to it, as a part of it. As the kingdom of God 
is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy 
Ghost, he who has these has the whole kingdom 
of God. The kingdom of God, the New Covenant 
religion, is wholly spiritual without any mixture of 
carnal rites. This is a fact which is generally lost 
sight of, and hence the sad corruption of the re- 
ligion of Jesus. This mixture began when those 
teachers went down from Jerusalem and taught 
the Gentile converts that they must be circumcised 
and keep the law of Moses in order to be saved, 
and it has continued ever since. The attempt to 
combine a spiritual and a carnal religion must al- 
ways prove disastrous to the former. Men are 
prone to cling to outward things, and to attach 
importance to them to the neglect of that which 
is purely spiritual, and the attempt to combine the 
two will inevitably result in the neglect of that which 
is spiritual. In their solicitude to properly tithe 



i 



THE TWO COVENANTS 32 1 

mint, anise, and cummin, they will pass over judg- 
ment and the love of God. The ancient Jew was a 
shadow, a type, the real Jew is the Christian be- 
liever. " He is not a Jew whiqh is one outwardly." 
Circumcision in the flesh was also a type ; the 
real circumcision is that of the heart, in the puri- 
fication of the moral nature. ''Neither is that cir- 
cumcision which is outward in the flesh." The 
baptisms with water were all types ; the real bap- 
tism is that of the Holy Spirit, "the washing of 
regeneration even the renewing of the Holy Ghost." 
The passover supper of bread and wine was a 
shadow. Christ is our Passover who is sacrificed 
for us, and He is eaten only by faith and in a spir- 
itual sense alone. All types and shadows belong 
to the dispensation of the same nature. They are 
things that can be shaken, arbitrarily imposed on 
men until the time of reformation, but no longer. 
The things that can be shaken are then removed, 
that the things which cannot be shaken alone may 
remain. We have received a kingdom which can- 
not be moved, because it contains nothing but 
spiritual and eternal things. It is the Heavenly 
Jerusalem, because there is nothing earthly about 
it./. The kingdom consists of those things which 



322 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have they 
entered into the heart of man, for God has kept 
them for them that love Him, and He reveals them 
unto us by His Spirit. Formerly He wrote His law 
on tables of stone or on parchment, but now He 
writes it in our inward parts, even in our hearts. 
When the law of God was written outside of men, 
they did not keep it and God rejected them ; 
when it is written inside of them, in their hearts, 
they will keep it. What folly to make disciplinary 
rules for the government of men's lives ! If God 
writes not the law of love in their hearts, they will 
not keep these rules; and if this law is written in 
their hearts, the others are superfluous. 

Not only is the Jewish nation a type of the 
Christian nation, but the Aaronic priesthood is a 
type of the same church of Christ. Among the 
Jews God chose one tribe in place of the first- 
born of all • the twelve tribes. Every firstborn 
male child was considered peculiarly holy and con- 
secrated to God. But the church of Christ is a 
royal priesthood, composed of priests and kings. 
It is a church composed entirely of firstborn. 
They are all peculiarly consecrated to God. The 
service of God is their whole business, and all their 



THE TWO COVENANTS 323 

time is holy time. The Sabbath law was null so 
far as the priests in the temple were concerned, 
for how could they consecrate but one-seventh of 
their time who consecrated all of it? This is equally 
true of Christians who are the antetypes of the 
Jewish priests. St. Paul declares that the '' hand- 
writing of ordinances were against us and contrary 
to us," and that Christ took them away. Is it con- 
ceivable that when He estabHshed His pure spiritual 
religion that He would incorporate in it another 
system of ordinances of a like nature with those 
He took away, because they were against us? Be- 
cause these things were useful to men in their 
spiritual childhood, will He force them upon spirit- 
ual men? Men destitute of spiritual understanding 
may see nothing but a carnal religion taught in 
the New Testament. Nothing better could be ex- 
pected of them. But the spiritual man who dis- 
cerneth all things sees differently. He sees a 
religion in which circumcision and uncircumcision 
are equally unavailing, and nothing avails but a 
hew creature. In Christ, the attitute of the will, 
the state of the moral nature are essentially every- 
thing, and no fleshly rite has any value or mean- 
ing. Let others contend over " the doctrine of 
baptisms," the question of meats and drinks, and 



324 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

the observance of holy days. The spiritual man, 
the man who has gone on to perfection, has rele- 
gated these matters to the same category as the 
one to which belongs the contention as to the 
proper place to worship, which agitated the Jews 
and the Samaritans, or the duty of washing the 
hands before eating, or the important doctrine of 
the baptism of pots and other culinary utensils. 

There are some men claiming not only to be 
Christians, but Christians par excellence, who have 
much to say of the sin of eating swine's flesh, for- 
getting the declaration of the Apostle, *' I know 
and am persuaded of the Lord Jesus, that there is 
nothing unclean of itself." Some men seem strangely 
to desire to be under the bondage of the old law. 
To such the Apostle Paul says, ** Tell me, ye that 
desire to be under the law, do you not hear the 
law? For it is written that Abraham had two 
sons, the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free 
woman. But he who was of the bondwoman was 
born after the flesh ; but he of the free woman was 
by promise. Which things are an allegory, for 
these are the two covenants," etc. Read the whole 
passage in Gal. iv, "But what saith the Scripture: 
Cast out the bondwoman and her son ; for the son 
of the bondw^oman shall not be heir with the soii 



THE TWO COVENANTS 325 

of the free woman." If men prefer to be sons of 
the bondwoman and consequently slaves to rites 
and ordinances, we must allow them their choice, 
though we may deplore it; but God's spiritual 
people are children of promise, and born of the 
free woman. "Jerusalem which is above, and which 
is free, is the mother of us all." Such are free 
by birth. Free from sin, free from slavish fear, 
free from all carnal rites or fleshly restrictions 
which could not make the comers thereunto per- 
fect as pertaining to the conscience. Which were 
imposed on men only until the time of reformation : 
and if now observed they are self-imposed. Every- 
thing required of a man not necessary to his sal- 
vation is arbitrarily imposed on him. But this is 
not done since the time of reformation. Those 
duties only are now required of men which grow 
out of their relation to God and their fellows, which 
are called moral duties, and this moral law is ful- 
filled in one word, " love." God does not waste 
the time and strength of His spiritual people in 
doing unnecessary things. Those things which 
men call the nonessentials of Christianity do not 
belong to it at all. Here then is the proper 
division of the word of truth. The division be- 
tween that which is past and that which is present; 



326 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

between the old and the new; between the things 
which could be shaken and those which cannot be 
shaken; the typical and the antetypical; the natural 
and the spiritual; the temporal and the eternal 
We have received a kingdom composed of those 
things only which cannot be moved. 



i 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 



Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen; and is become the 
habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and 
the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. — Rev. xviii : 2. 

TT MAY be objected that this subject is not prac- 
tical, being mentioned only in allegory. While 
this is true, it does not follow that its considera- 
tion will not be useful. God's people are com- 
manded to come out of Babylon and it must be 
understood what this abomination is before it can 
be intelligently avoided. The subject will be ap- 
proached in the spirit of honest inquiry and calmly 
and impartially considered. It must be apparent 
that the ancient city of Babylon is the type of 
this spiritual abomination, and that it possessed 
characteristics which were typical. 

Babylon, the most eminent and celebrated city 
of the ancient world, was founded by Nimrod, and 
was situated on both sides of the Euphrates river 
in upper Chaldea, of which country and kingdom 
it was the capital. It was a large city, but its ex- 
act size cannot be known. It was surrounded by 

(327) 



328 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

a wall of great height and thickness of which 
various accounts are given by different historians, 
some making it twice as wide and high as others. 
It was probably not less than seventy-five feet 
high, and so thick that several chariots could be 
driven abreast on its top. It not only enclosed the 
city proper, but also a large extent of country used 
for the pasturage of flocks and herds. As the city 
was in this way, and by other means, largely sup- 
plied with victuals, and the river furnished an un- 
failing supply of water, it could not well be taken 
by siege, and its walls were so strong as to resist 
all attacks of the artillery then in use. As the 
walls could not be extended across the river, to 
prevent the access of enemies by this means, huge 
brazen gates were erected on the river banks, 
which met in the center of the stream and were 
there fastened together to prevent the passage of 
boats. Babylon being situated on the lower Eu- 
phrates, in the alluvial plain, possessed no quarries, 
and as rock could not be obtained anywhere in the 
neighborhood, the city and wall were built of sun- 
dried brick, a material easily obtained, but not very 
durable. As a result of its having been built of 
such perishable material, it is now entirely obliter- 
ated and its site, even, is with difficulty determined. 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 329 

It was a city of great magnificence, especially under 
the second Assyrian empire, when it was greatly 
embeUished by Nebuchadnezzar. He built a great 
palace, and the celebrated Hanging Gardens, counted 
one of the wonders of the world. These were 
built to please his Queen who was born in a 
mountainous country, and they imitated a hill or 
mountain. The city also contained the temple of 
Belus and the Tower of Babel. 

There are three things pertaining to Babylon 
which are especially typical. First. Its origin. It 
originated in rebellion against God. Nimrod, its 
founder, was a mighty rebel against God. Second. 
The confusion of tongues which occurred while the 
Tower of Babel was being built. Third. It was 
the place of the captivity of God's people, who 
were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar. Another 
thing which was symbolical was the fall of Babylon. 
This does not mean its destruction, but its capture 
by an enemy. These points will be noticed in their 
order. Babylon is not only represented as a city, 
but also as a woman. This woman is represented 
as sitting on a scarlet-colored beast full of the 
names of blasphemy, and as holding a golden cup 
in her hand, and having engraved upon her fore- 
head, " Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of 



330 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

harlots and abominations of the earth." Now in 
no case in Scripture is either a city or a woman 
used to represent a civil or political power. These 
are usually typified by some wild beast. Once, in 
Nebuchadnezzar's dream or vision, they are repre- 
sented by a monster man. But a city is often 
used as a type of a church or ecclesiastical power. 
Thus Jerusalem is commonly used as a type of 
the church of Christ, sometimes under its other 
name, Zion. So also is a woman used for the 
same purpose. Sarah is a type of the church of 
Christ, Hagar of the Jewish church. The woman 
clothed with the sun is a type of the church of 
Christ, while Jezebel is a type of an apostate 
church. Babylon the city and Babylon the woman 
are types, then, of an ecclesiastical power. 

In seeking for spiritual Babylon then we must 
look for a church or an ecclesiasticism. The first 
mark of this church power, to be true to the type, 
is rebelHon or apostasy. As Hteral Babylon was 
founded in apostasy from God in civil government, 
so spiritual Babylon is founded in apostasy in 
church government. The form of government in 
the church of Christ is quite simple. It is a the- 
ocracy, using human instruments. Jesus Christ him- 
self is the head of the body, the church. As the 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 331 

head governs and controls the body, so Christ 
governs and controls the church. As instruments 
or agents He employs apostles, prophets, evan- 
gelists, pastors, and teachers. These have no author- 
ity of their own, but only as they demonstrate that 
God speaks and works through and by them. This 
authority does not come down through a long line 
of predecessors, but is direct from God in the case 
of each one, as much so as if there had been no 
one preceding Him. Jesus the head must 

*' Move and actuate and guide — 
Divers gifts to each divide." 

In the exercise of this authority, each agent is di- 
rectly responsible to God, and to Him alone. Unity 
of action is secured by union with the same head. 
This form of government gives little room for the 
exercise of personal ambition. The Apostles had a 
specific work and have no successors. Evangelists, 
prophets or preachers, pastors and teachers re- 
main. Each pastor is an *'episcopos" or bishop. 
As such he has no control over other pastors. The 
word '* elder" is a term taken from the Jewish 
polity and is applied indiscriminately to pastors, 
evangelists, and even Apostles, as Peter claims to 
be also an elder. It is sometimes applied on ac- 
count of age only : The deacons were simply serv- 



332 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

ants of the church to look after temporal matters, 
and were not an order of the ministry as such, 
though they may have been preachers. They were 
made necessary on account of the increasing num- 
ber of believers, and especially by the great number 
of the poor whose wants must be supplied. Where 
the number of believers is small, there is little or 
no need of deacons. The love of authority and 
power which is natural to man, gradually stole in, 
enticing these officers to assume " lordship over 
God's heritage " and to act without Divine author- 
ity. At first these instances were rare, but their 
number gradually increased, until they became the 
rule rather than the exception. The result was a 
division of believers into two classes, the rulers and 
the ruled, the clergy and the laity. I have no 
doubt that this teaching is the doctrine of the 
Nicolaitans, which God hates; the word signifying 
a conquest of the people. As the priesthood in- 
creased their assumption of authority, claiming to 
act by power delegated to them by the Lord, they 
ceased to give any proof of Divine agency. Men 
could not recognize God speaking through them. 
The form of government was entirely changed ; the 
theocracy was lost, and human authority was sub- 
stituted for it. Another head was given to the 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON SSS 

nominal church called the Pope, or the General 
Council, or the General Conference, or the General 
Synod. Christ became a mere figurehead without 
any authority or any active participation in the 
government. These governing bodies '* change 
times and laws," establish dogmas, and otherwise 
take full control of what is called the church of 
Christ. While Christ was formally acknowledged 
as the head of the church. His authority was set at 
naught, His words disregarded, and His spirit en- 
tirely lost. Men who were worldly, unspiritual, and 
sometimes immoral and skeptical, were placed in 
authority, and ruled by pretended right, while their 
whole lives showed them to be enemies of God. 
The government of the church was subverted and 
this first mark of Babylon was plainly seen. Wher- 
ever men preach or teach or govern in the nomi- 
nal church of Christ and their authority to do so 
is recognized, though they give no evidence of act- 
ing under the influence of the Holy Spirit, there 
is clearly seen the first mark of Babylon, rebellion 
and apostasy. Christ's headship has been unsurped 
and His authority overthrown. 

The second mark of Babylon is confusion. At 
the time of Nimrod's rebellion the whole earth, we 
are told, was of one speech and one language. 



334 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

There seemed to be a fear of being scattered 
abroad, and to prevent this, we are told, they all 
united in building a city and a tower whose top 
should reach unto Heaven. The Lord, to prevent 
the accompHshment of their design, determined to 
frustrate it by confounding their language, so that 
they might not be able to understand each other's 
speech. This had the desired effect and produced 
their scatterment. Wherefore they left off building 
the tower, and the name of Babel was given it, 
that is, confusion. The city was called Babylon 
for the same reason. Unity among the people of 
God is according to the Divine plan. But it seems 
that unity among His enemies is not His will. 
''Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered," is 
God's plan. Now can we find anything correspond- 
ing to this in ecclesiastical history? I think so. 
So soon as the apostasy in church government 
began, the city and tower began to be built. It is 
said of Nimrod that the beginning of his kingdom 
was Babylon. So when men began to deny Christ's 
authority in His church, they began establishing 
another authority in His place. They began build- 
ing a church and formulating a creed or system 
of doctrine, that should take men to Heaven in 
some other way than by the strait gate and the 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 335 

narrow way. Here then are the spiritual city and 
tower corresponding to the literal. A city builded 
not of living stones, and a tower which is not the 
antetype of the ladder Jacob saw. As I have 
already stated, Babylon was not built of stone, be- 
cause this material was scarce and costly, but of 
sundried brick. ''And brick they had for stone 
and slime they had for mortar." So spiritual 
Babylon is not built, as in the true church of 
Christ, of living stones, cemented by the love of 
the brethren, but of artificial stone or brick repre- 
senting man-made Christians, counterfeit believers. 
They are not united together by the genuine mor- 
tar, but with sHme, which the prophet calls untem- 
pered mortar. This apostate church to multiply 
conversions adopted many of the pagan customs 
and feasts, slightly changing them and giving them 
new names. Whole tribes were converted by edict, 
becoming Christians in name, while remaining pagan 
in Hfe and conduct. Thus the city builded of 
such cheap material rapidly grew in size, while 
the theologians worked on the tower, inventing new 
dogmas, and contending over metaphysical distinc- 
tions. They introduced monasticism and the wor- 
ship of images, the invocation of the saints, the 
celibacy of the clergy, the doctrine of the Immacu- 



336 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

late Conception and other forms of Mariolatry ; the 
confessional, the doctrine of merit and works of 
supererogation ; invented several sacraments, and 
the doctrine of purgatory and many other tenets 
too numerous to mention. Thus the tower was 
rising to quite a height, though not yet completed. 
The popes claimed authority superior to the civil 
power and professed to absolve subjects from their 
allegiance to their sovereigns. Through their in- 
fluence over the civil powers, they punished all 
who refused to bow to their authority. Such were 
excommunicated, and turned over to the civil power 
to be punished with imprisonment, torture, and 
death. All this was done to preserve the unity of 
the faith. Authority was substituted for reason, 
priestcraft lorded it over men's consciences, and 
thus men were prevented from being divided in 
opinion and doctrine. The Waldenses and Albi- 
genses were persecuted with fire and sword under 
authority of the pope of Rome, who proclaimed a 
crusade against them, and promised a full pardon 
for all past sins to those who would engage in 
the murder of an innocent people. But God came 
down to see the city and, the tower which- , the 
children of men builded. He declared that they: 
would accomplish their purpose of ecclesiasticat 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 337 

unity, by the suppression of freedom of conscience, 
thus entirely destroying vital godHness, unless 
something were done to prevent it. And he said, 
"Go to, let us confound their language." Then 
were raised up John Huss and Jerome of Prague 
in Bohemia, who were burnt at the stake by the 
general council of Constance ; and afterward Martin 
Luther, Melanchthon of Saxony, Zwingli of Switzer- 
land, John Calvin of France, the English reformers 
and John Knox of Scotland, who began to speak 
different doctrinal languages, so that the Papists 
could not understand the Protestants and the 
Protestants could not understand each other. This 
caused a stoppage in the building of the tower, so 
that little has been done since. We do not know 
what Nimrod purposed naming the city he founded, 
but the Divine intervention gave it a name. We 
do know what men called their spiritual city be- 
fore God interrupted their plans. They called it 
the Holy CathoHc Church. But when God con- 
founded their doctrinal language and divided and 
scattered them, their name became Babylon the 
Great. This blasting of the purpose of the builders 
and the division of sentiment preventing concert of 
action resulted in breaking the ecclesiastical 
shackles, and opened the way for free inquiry and 



338 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

discussion, liberating men's consciences and pro- 
ducing good results. The results, however, were 
not wholly good ; but an opportunity was given 
real saints to worship God in the Spirit. Unless 
men are under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, 
freedom of inquiry is productive of no better re- 
sults than intellectual bondage is. Strife and con- 
fusion ensue, and men swing from a blind faith to 
skepticism and indifference. For a long time free- 
dom of inquiry caused increasing strife and division ; 
sects were multiplied. Religious zealots showed 
great earnestness, dividing over trivial matters. 
Theological discussions were loud and acrimonious. 
The more earnest men were the more ready they 
were to contend for trifles which were magnified 
into matters of importance. But this excess of 
doctrinal zeal wore itself out, and men began set- 
tling into religious indifference. The theological 
confusion was great and the ** lo heres and lo 
theres" were loud and persistent. In the choice 
of a creed men were influenced more by education 
and tradition than by calm reason. This prevalence 
of religious teachings, unlike and often contradictory, 
a mixture of a little of God's truth with much of 
human opinion and speculation, furnishes us with 
the second mark of Babylon, confusion. The hypo- 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 339 

crites and false professors, the unholy, world-loving 
men and women who constitute the large majority 
of the membership of the various sects of Christen- 
dom, are the bricks of which spiritual Babylon is 
composed. The various interests which bind men 
together in their organizations in the absence of 
real brotherly love are represented by the slime 
which took the place of mortar. Those various 
systems of doctrine which claim to save men in 
their sins, without holiness of heart or life, are rep- 
resented by the Tower of Babel which was to reach 
up to Heaven. 

The third distinguishing mark of Babylon was 
its being the place of captivity of God's people. 
*' By the rivers of Babylon we sat down : yea, we 
wept when we remembered Zion." — Ps. cxxxvii : i . 
After the destruction of Nineveh and the death of 
its last king Sardanapalus, the capital of the new 
Assyrian empire was removed to Babylon. The 
Medes were assisted in their assault upon Nineveh 
by the viceroy of Babylon who revolted from Sar- 
danapalus, who after a vigorous defense, despairing 
of success, burnt himself in his palace. Nebuchad- 
nezzar, the most noted monarch of the new dynasty, 
captured Jerusalem and carried off most of the in- 
habitants to Babylon. They were not taken as 



340 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

slaves, but, according to the common practice of 
the Assyrian monarchs, they were transferred to a 
new province and others put in their places in Ju- 
dea : the design being to discourage revolt. These 
Jews were captives in Babylon seventy years. 
Some of them, like Daniel, were preferred to places 
of authority and power, especially under the Per- 
sian conquerors of Babylon. But they were not 
allowed to return to their native land, until Cyrus 
issued his edict, permitting and assisting their res- 
toration. This captivity of the Jews in Babylon is 
a type of the bondage of God's spiritual people 
in spiritual Babylon, which, as already intimated, 
consists of all those fragments into which the so- 
called Christian world was broken by the confusion 
of doctrines brought about by what is called the 
Reformation. These dissentient fragments taken 
together make up Babylon the Great. For more 
than four centuries God's real saved people were 
generally found in the sects. Though in their 
hearts they regretted and reprobated the confusion 
and the strife and wept when they remembered 
Zion, finding it difilicult to sing the songs of Zion 
in a strange land, yet they saw no way out of cap- 
tivity. And there was no way until God made one. 
Like John Wesley they deplored the heated strife 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 341 

and jarring discords of theological discussion. They 
prayed, 

" Let party names no more 
The Christian world o'erspread." 

Like Mr. Wesley, they were sick of opinions and 
loathed the frothy stuff. They longed and prayed 
for unity and peace. But their voices were drowned 
in the clamor, though their prayers reached the ear 
of Jehovah. Their numbers decreased and their 
ranks thinned, as many became reconciled to cap- 
tivity and forgot Jerusalem. Babylon was good 
enough for them, and the hope of returning to 
Zion seemed but an iridescent dream. A few of 
the humbler sort still left their harps upon the 
willows exclaiming, '' If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, 
may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, 
if I esteem not Jerusalem above my chief joy." 
But they were captives and the gates were still 
shut. They made efforts to escape from the in- 
congruity and danger of their situation, separating 
themselves from one fellowship and forming another, 
but still failing to get out of Babylon. Their well- 
meant efforts only added to the confusion. Some, 
like Mr. Wesley, refused to form new sects, but, as 
in his case, their followers did it for them. Many 
efforts were made to bring about ecclesiastical 



342 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

unity, all necessarily ending in failure. The way 
of escape was not yet open. 

Another thing concerning Babylon which is 
typical is its fall. By the fall of Babylon, as has 
been already said, is not meant its destruction, but 
its capture by the Medes and Persians. This had 
to take place before God's people could be liber- 
ated. For about fifteen centuries Babylon had 
never been taken by siege or assault. It was con- 
sidered impregnable. But during the reign of the 
despicable Belshazzar, it was attacked by the Medes 
and Persians. As the city could not be taken by 
force, Cyrus resorted to stratagem. By immense 
labor, a new channel for the river was dug, divert- 
ing most of its waters around the outside of the 
city walls. This made the water in the regular 
channel so shallow that the troops of Cyrus could 
pass in under the gates which crossed the river. 
They did this at night, and fell upon the infamous 
Belshazzar while he was feasting in his palace, 
desecrating the holy vessels of the Jewish temple. 
He was taken by surprise and slain, and thus God 
numbered his kingdom and finished it. Cyrus 
was favorably disposed toward the Jews, and is 
said to have been much pleased when shown the 
prophecy concerning him in the Holy Books of 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 343 

the Israelites in which he was mentioned by name 
before he was born. (Isa. xHv : 39.) In this Scrip- 
ture Cyrus is called God's shepherd, and is evidently 
a type of Christ. He issued an edict granting the 
Jews liberty to return to Judea and to rebuild the 
ruined capital. He also furnished them help to 
do this and protection from enemies. As I have 
already intimated, but comparatively few availed 
themselves of this opportunity. In the first place, 
many had been in Babylon so long that their 
temporal interests w^ere identified with Babylon 
rather than with Jerusalem. Then they had lost 
much of their religious zeal. They were comfort- 
able where they were and not disposed to under- 
take hardships for the sake of a sentiment. The 
journey would be long and hazardous and at the 
end they would find a desolate country and a city 
in ruins. Much self-denial and hard labor must 
be undergone before Jerusalem and its walls could 
be rebuilt. They would be in constant danger of 
assault from active enemies. Why leave security 
and comfort for such a condition of things. To 
worldly prudence the enterprise seemed Quixotic 
and unreasonable. So those who had many inter- 
ests in Babylon refused to leave it. Only the 
poorer and meaner sort could be induced to follow 



344 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

Nehemiah and Ezra back to the land of promise. 
After they reached Judea they had much trouble, 
and many trials, working on the walls of the city 
with implements of labor in one hand and weapons 
in the other. But religious zeal, a love of libert}* 
and a hatred of Babylonish captivity carried them 
through, and in spite of their enemies the task of 
restoring the city was accomplished. No doubt 
those who remained in security and ease in Babylon, 
when they heard of the labors and sufferings of 
their brethren, took great credit to themselves for 
having sense enough to stay where they were. 
Jerusalem was rebuilt, and the Jewish nation for- 
ever cured of any inclination toward idolatry. The 
application of this type is obvious. In Rev. xviii, 
we read of an angel having great power, and the 
earth was enlightened with his glory. He cried 
mightily with a loud voice, "Babylon is fallen, is 
fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and 
the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every 
unclean and hateful bird." As the fall of literal 
Babylon was natural, so the fall of spiritual Baby- 
lon is spiritual. As has been said, God's true 

people were in Babylon and there was quite an 
amount of genuine spirituality in her. But the forces 

of evil constantly gained ground, evil men and 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 345 

seducers waxing worse and worse until spiritual life 
was crushed. For a long time, though, much that 
was in Babylon was false and ungodly, yet spiritual 
men had much influence, and vital piety was es- 
teemed and often honored. But worldliness grad- 
ually encroached, and skepticism grew apace, until 
faithfulness to God became a cause of reproach 
and brought contempt rather than honor. The 
enemies of true religion gained full control and 
the flood-gates of iniquity were opened. World- 
liness and compromise with sin triumphed, and 
God's people could no longer stay in Babylon 
without partaking of her sins. Then came the 
voice from Heaven saying, **Come out of her, my 
people, that ye be not partakers of her sins and 
that ye receive not of her plagues." Fifty years 
ago, such a thing as serving God outside of organ- 
ized sects was almost, if not entirely, unheard of. 
But about that time the voice from Heaven began 
to be heard, the fall of Babylon becoming apparent. 
The mighty angel began announcing the fact, and 
thus in many places remote from each other, with- 
out any concert of action, God began calling His 
people out of Babylon. There were generally but 
few in any one place, and they often did not know 
that any others felt about the matter as they did 



346 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

themselves. As in the case of the Jews in Baby- 
lon, those who came out were generally of little 
repute. Their want of harmony with their sur- 
roundings in Babylon had prevented their being 
esteemed and honored. 

There were some exceptions to this rule, but 
this was the rule. But they longed for a pure 
church and for holy fellowship. They loathed the 
sins of Babylon, and were willing to undertake the 
task of rebuilding Jerusalem, and to undergo the de- 
rision of their enemies. They heard the call of 
the prophet: "Go through, go through the gates, 
prepare ye the way of the people. Cast up, cast 
up the highway ; gather out the stones ; lift up a 
standard for the people." Of course they were 
looked upon as troublers of Zion, as fanatics and 
dreamers. Their project was declared impracticable 
and hopeless. Nevertheless they felt that the Lord 
was bringing again Zion and that the prophets 
should see eye to eye. As in all cases where 
there is a movement in God's order, Satan imitated 
and caricatured it to cover it with reproach. This 
tended to frighten away such as loved the praise 
of men, and feared reproach and shame. But 
God's people have been called out of Babylon and 
she is being rapidly prepared for destruction. The 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 347 

Jonathans, who sympathize with David but remain 
with Saul, being ashamed to be identified with an 
army of tatterdemalions, of insolvent debtors and 
discontented persons, will remain in Babylon and fall 
in her destruction. Those saints who have obeyed 
God's call are often called " comeouters," a name 
of great reproach in the eyes of men, but really a 
title of honor. No doubt many bear the name 
who do not merit it, but there will always be 
counterfeits of every valuable thing. There may 
be a few saints yet left in Babylon, who have not 
yet responded to the call, but this is open to doubt. 
To describe the present condition of Babylon is a 
task beyond my ability. I have not the command 
of adequate language. The description given by 
the Revelator is sufficiently clear and awful, and I 
will leave it at that. 

I will next consider the other type of Babylon 
as described in Rev. xvii. A woman is described 
sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast full of names 
of blasphemy. She is dressed in purple and 
scarlet colored robes, and decked with gold 
and precious stones and pearls, with a golden cup 
in her hand. On her forehead is a name written, 
" Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of har- 
lots and abominations of the earth." In the last 



348 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

verse of the chapter we are informed that this wo- 
man is identical with that great city which ruleth 
over the kings of the earth. She is then another 
type of the same things which have just been 
commented on. The first thing we will notice is 
the beast upon which the woman sits. It is de- 
scribed as scarlet colored, full of names of blas- 
phemy, having seven heads and ten horns, and 
crowns upon its horns. In Rev. xii we have an- 
other beast described, a great red dragon, having 
seven heads and ten horns, and crowns upon its 
heads. Their similarity in possessing seven heads 
and ten horns respectively identifies them as being 
closely related. The great red dragon, which is 
first mentioned as waiting to devour the manchild, 
is no doubt the pagan Roman government. The 
manchild which is to rule all nations with a rod 
of iron is a Christian civil government which came 
into being in the time of Constantine. Both beasts 
are represented as having heads and horns, though 
the heads really belong to the one and the horns 
to the other. On the dragon the horns are pro- 
phetic, and in the second beast the heads are his- 
toric. Both beasts have both heads and horns to 
show the identity, as being the beast that was, and 
is not, and yet is. The seven heads of the dragon 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 349 

on which the crowns rest are the seven forms of 
government of the first Roman empire, which was 
mostly pagan. The first form of government in 
Rome was the kingly. This began with Numa 
PompiHus, the first king of Rome, and ended with 
the Tarqtiins. Tarquinius Superbus was killed by 
the elder Brutus because of his assault upon Bru- 
tus' daughter. The kings had become so oppres- 
sive and outrageous in their conduct, that they 
were execrated by the people, and the very name 
of king was forever hated by the Romans. They 
then adopted a form of government by ten men 
called Decemvirs. The Decemvirate continued but 
for a short time, and was succeeded by a govern- 
ment by consuls. Two consuls were chosen each 
year, who commanded the armies in war, which 
was almost continual. They were assisted in the 
government by the Senate. The consuls were 
principally military leaders. The Consulate lasted 
a long time, though sometimes interrupted by an- 
other form of government, called the Dictatorship. 
Cincinnatus was the first dictator. At the time of 
Hannibal's eruption into Italy, Fabius was chosen 
Dictator. The Roman state was on the verge of 
ruin ; its armies commanded by its consuls were 
successively defeated, owang often to divided coun- 



350 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

sels and jealousies. Fabius was then chosen Dic- 
tator and by his famous policy of delay ruined 
Hannibal. When the crisis was past, the consulate 
was again resumed and continued until the time of 
Marius and Sulla, who became Dictators. After 
them the fifth form of government was adopted, the 
Triumvirate, a government by three men. The first 
Triumvirate was composed of Julius Caesar, Pom- 
pey, and Crassus. Caesar chose Gaul ; Pompey, 
Italy and Spain ; and Crassus the far East. Both 
Caesar and Pompey were famous as military leaders. 
Pompey, by his victories in Asia, having had con- 
ferred upon him by the Roman Senate the title of 
" The Great." Crassus was a business man of 
vast wealth, but he burned for military glory also. 
To obtain it he led an army against the Parthians, 
was defeated and slain, and his army almost de- 
stroyed. Caesar and Pompey were left in control. 
They quarreled and levied war against each other, 
and at the battle of Pharsalia Pompey was totally 
defeated and fied to Egypt, where he was mur- 
dered. Julius Caesar became the master of the 
Roman empire. He was an exceedingly able man. 
He pursued a conciliatory poHcy, gave the empire 
a good government, and among other notable 
things, he corrected the calendar. Had he been 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 351 

content with the substance of power without its 
show, he might have lived long a blessing to his 
country. But he was vain and longed for kingly 
honors. This was fatal to him and he was assas- 
sinated in the senate house by a number of con- 
spirators led by Brutus and Cassius. But they 
were compelled to flee from Rome, and the gov- 
ernment fell into the hands of the second Trium- 
virate composed of Octavius Caesar, Marcus 
Antonius, commonly called Mark Antony, and 
Lepidus, Octavius remained at Rome, Antony 
chose Asia for his share, Lepidus was soon over- 
thrown by Octavius. Antony becoming infatuated 
with Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, after having mar- 
ried Octavia, the sister of Octavius, he and Octa- 
vius quarreled, and made war upon each other. 
At the battle of Actium, Antony was totally de- 
feated. He fled to Egypt, and finding that 
Cleopatra had killed herself to escape imprison- 
ment, and fearing she might be made to grace the 
conqueror's triumph, he also committed suicide. 
Thus Octavius Caesar, the nephew of Julius Caesar, 
was left sole master of the world. Though not as 
able, he was much more prudent than his uncle. 
He was careful not to assume the trappings of 
power ; and while ruling the empire he always 



352 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

deferred to the Roman Senate, a body jealous 
of its authority. He took the name of Augustus, 
and had conferred upon him by the Senate the 
title of Imperator, or Emperor. Thus was estab- 
lished the sixth form of government. This con- 
tinued for several centuries, furnishing a few good 
emperors and many bad ones, some of them human 
monsters of iniquity. The empire greatly declined 
in power and extent, the emperors at length be- 
came extinct. The seventh form of government 
was called the Exarchate, and the capital was re- 
moved to Ravenna. This form did not long con- 
tinue, and the first Roman empire perished. The 
seven heads which wore crowns were the Kingdom, 
the Decemvirate, the Consulate, the Dictatorship, 
the Triumvirate, the Empire, and the Exarchate. 
In Rev. xiii we have a further ^description of 
the beast upon which the woman sat. It is de- 
scribed as being Hke a leopard, having feet like a 
bear and a mouth Hke a lion. And the dragon 
gave him his power and his seat and great author- 
ity. This beast, which took the dragon's place, was 
the second Roman empire established by Char- 
lemagne in 800 A. D. He was crowned in Rome, 
the seat of the dragon. Its being spotted like a 
leopard shows diversity. In having the mouth of 



I 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 353 

a lion and the feet of a bear, it is like the descrip- 
tion given by the prophet Daniel of the first Ro- 
man empire. The names of blasphemy are those 
claims to holiness and Divine authority made by 
this empire. The ten horns represent the various 
kingdoms and states into which the empire was 
finally divided and correspond to the ten toes of 
the image which Nebuchadnezzar saw. The second 
Roman empire included nearly the whole of conti- 
nental Europe, except what is now comprised in 
Russia, and a little of that empire. The British 
islands and Scandinavia were not really included. 
These divisions are not always the same. At pres- 
ent we might enumerate Spain, Portugal, France, 
Italy, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Aus- 
tria, Greece. But as political changes are so con- 
stant, it is difficult to point them out definitely. 
The woman sitting on this beast is Babylon, the 
false church, and her attitude signifies her depend- 
ence upon, and her support by, the civil power. 
The fact of this support is historical and known to 
all, and therefore needs no comment. She is called 
the '' great whore," because of her unfaithfulness 
to her nominal husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and her fornications with human governments as 

described by the Revelator. These apostasies and 
c.c. — 23 



354 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

adulteries are so patent, that they are represented 
as being written upon her forehead. She openly 
denies her being repudiated by her husband, but 
says, " I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall 
see no sorrow." The ''wine of the wrath of her 
fornication " with which she is said to have made 
all nations drunk is supposed to represent those 
love potions which such women were wont to give 
their lovers, which intoxicated them and inflamed 
and poisoned their blood. These are the false 
doctrines and fables which she has substituted for 
the truth of God ; that truth which, like pure milk 
and wine, nourishes and edifies. These false teach- 
ings and false claims to fidelity have deceived the 
nations who recognize her claims to the exclusion 
of the true wife, who is treated as an impostor 
and a cheat. It takes a great deal of effrontery, 
with the proofs of her unfaithfulness so plainly 
exhibited, to lay claim to purity and innocence. 
But she is fully equal to the occasion and is 
abashed by nothing. 

The destruction of Babylon, as described in 
Rev. xviii, is an event yet to take place. We are 
informed that with violence she shall be cast down 
and be seen again no more. That the merchants 
who were made rich by her delicacies shall weep 



SPIRITUAL BABYLON 355 

and mourn over her destruction because no man 
buyeth their merchandise any more. This is, no 
doubt, to be understood in a metaphorical sense, 
just as the city is figurative. The natural products 
said to be sold by these merchants must also rep- 
resent spiritual things. The merchants of Babylon 
are false prophets who substitute fables for the 
truth of God, and sell them for salaries large and 
small. The things they sell are very precious to 
those who buy them, and they are willing to pay 
large prices for them. As for God's people, they 
buy the truth. The mourning of these merchants 
when Babylon is cast down as a millstone thrown 
into the sea will be very genuine. Their lucrative 
occupations will be gone forever; their honors lost, 
their hope of gain blasted. The event will be 
awful, yet God's people are exhorted to rejoice at 
it. " Rejoice over her, ye heavens, and ye holy 
apostles and prophets." The means for accom- 
plishing her destruction are described in Rev. xvii. 
We are told that the ten horns or kingdoms shall 
hate the whore and make her desolate and naked, 
and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 
The ten horns agreeing and giving all their power 
unto the beast signifies that civil government shall 
be given much more authority than it has exercised. 



356 CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP 

This foreshadows sociaHsm, which advocates the 
giving to government the exercise of all those 
rights which are now enjoyed by private individuals: 
such as the ownership of all the sources of pro- 
duction, and the facilities for distribution, etc. Under 
socialism the state will own everything and have 
all authority. Socialism is also bitterly opposed 
to the nominal church, and will rob her of all her 
possessions and destroy her when it gains the 
power. This condition of things is obviously por- 
tending, and this prophecy will speedily be fulfilled. 
The general war which is universally expected will 
give socialists the opportunity to overthrow the present 
political system, when Bab}don will meet her doom. 
At the time of writing this prophecy, the Roman 
empire, the sixth head, was then in existence. So 
it is said the sixth is, and the seventh is not yet 
come. The second empire was the eighth and yet 
of the seven. That is, was the same form of gov- 
ernment as one of the seven gone before, which is 
true ; as it was identical with the sixth form, or 
the empire. But little of this prophecy yet re- 
mains to be fulfilled, that concerning Babylon's 
destruction. ]\Iay it not be long delayed, that Jesus 
may come to reign, that His people may reign with 
him. "Even so come, Lord Jesus." 



MAY 16 1902 



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